Pectoral scarab - very nice color - Ancient Egypt, Late Period, 664 - 332 BC Faience 6 cm long Condition: Good state, see photos. Provenance: Ex. Private collection, France, 1980s. The beetle, especially the dung beetle, was considered a manifestation of Jepri, the god of dawn and renewal. Its association with the act of rolling a ball of dung, similar to the movement of the sun across the sky, made it an emblem of creation, transformation and regeneration. These amulets were used as personal protectors and in funerary contexts. Placed on the chest or heart of the deceased, they symbolized regeneration in the afterlife and the soul's ability to rise to the realm of the gods. They also served as magical emblems, ensuring daily rebirth along with the sun. The winged scarab is a powerful synthesis of Egyptian beliefs about life, death and immortality, encapsulating the hope of an eternal cycle of renewal under divine protection.