Scarab

2011

Scarab was created for a book show at the Philadelphia Athenaeum. The sculpture responds to the scarab image on the cover of A History of Egypt. A hand painted picture book on handmade papyrus, it includes a carved wood scarab case. The life cycle of the scarab, or dung beetle, influenced many Egyptian beliefs. Scarab’s paintings depict aspects of that influence.

Ancient Egyptians herded cattle. Following the cattle, the beetle created dung balls, depositing them in their nests. Beetle larvae sustained themselves on the dung, emerging from the nest to continue their life cycle. Egyptian herders, understanding none of this, created a mythology to explain what they observed.

Noticing this pattern of disappearance and reappearance of life, the Egyptians drew a parallel with the cycle of the sun’s daily routine. They surmised that a giant invisible scarab was responsible for rolling the sun across the sky, raising the scarab to sacred status. Kephri, the god of the rising sun, is depicted with a scarab head.

Since both the sun god and the lowly beetle “rose from the dead,” the Egyptians figured that humans, being somewhere between them in hierarchy, would also do so. That conclusion, together with the shape of beetle larvae, led to the concept and form of mummification.