From manure to jewelry.
The unlikely evolution of the dung beetle: In the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, the use of the dung beetle (also called the scarab) as a symbol became common. The dung beetle's rolling of dung into a ball was seen as an earthly symbol of the heavenly cycle. Crafted in bone, ivory, stone, Egyptian faience, or precious metals, they were often incorporated into tombs as grave goods or given as 'gifts'. Over centuries, up to our days, for people with a fascination for the art and beliefs of ancient Egypt, the scarab remains an item of popular interest.
In the past 200 years, Ancient Egypt has been a rich source of inspiration to art and fashion worldwide, influencing at least three periods. We call these periods the Egyptian revivals or Neo-Egyptian styles, and they are divided as follows:
- The first was initiated by Napoleon Bonaparte's Egyptian Campaign, circa 1797.
- The second by the construction of the Suez Canal in 1859 and its official opening in 1869.
- The third by the discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamun in November 1922.
We think the ring pictured here was made in Egypt somewhere between 1920 and 1930. Perhaps it was not even made as a result of the third Neo-Egyptian revival, but just to sell to tourists. It could also be questionable whether the scarab is originally from the Ancient Egyptian era or specially made to look old, as there are no reasons to believe that the tourist industry, in general, has changed over the years.