SCARAB.-EID^ — DUNG-BEETLES,. 41 



ornaments the figures of Scarabs. Those on the cubes are 

 with outstretched wings, inlaid with gold. The cubes have 

 much the appearance of weights.^ 



The Scarabteus was not only venerated when alive, but 

 embalmed after death. In that state they are found at 

 Thebes. It, however, was not the only insect thus honored, 

 for in one of the heads brought by Mr. Wilkinson from 

 Thebes, several others were discovered. These were sub- 

 mitted to Mr. Hope for examination ; and the species ascer- 

 tained by this gentleman, Mr. Pettigrew has enumerated as 

 follows : 



1. Corynetes violaceous, Fah. 



2. Necrobia mumiarum, Hope. 



3. Dermestes vulpinus, Fab. 



4. pollinctus, Hope. 



5. roei, Hope. 



6. elongatus, Hope. 



7. Pimelia spinulosa, Klug ? 



8. Copris sabaeus ? "found by Passalacqua ; so named 

 on the testimony of Latrielle." 



9. Midas, Fah. 



10. Pithecius, Fah. 



11. A species of Cantharis in Passalacqua's Collection, 

 No. 442.^ The House-fly has also been found embalmed 

 at Thebes.3 



Concerning the worship in general of the Scarabseus, 

 many curious observations have been made besides the 

 ones above recorded. 



Pliny, in the words of his ancient translator, Philemon 

 Holland, tells us *' The greater part of ^gypt honour all 

 beetles, and adore them as gods, or at leastwise having 



time of the Pervsians, when the gods assume a more Pantheistic 

 form. Such a representation of the sun, for instance, is found in 

 the Torso Borghese. 



It will be observed, adds Layard, that most of the Egyptian relics 

 discovered in the Assyrian ruins are-of the time of the xviii. Egyp- 

 tian dynasty, or of the fifteenth century before Christ ; a period 

 when, as we learn from Egyptian monuments, there was a close 

 connection between Assyria and Egypt. — Layard's Babylon and 

 Nineveh, p. 239-240. 



^ Layard's Babylon and Nineveh, p. 157, 166. 



2 Hist, of Mum., 53-5; Wilkin. And. Egypt. ^ ii. (2d S.) 261, note. 



3 Wilkin. Anct. Egypt, ii. (2d S.) 156. 



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