SCARAB BEETLE One of the most popular Egyptian symbols is the scarab. Also known as the sacred beetle, the scarab symbolized self-creation as the beetle was believed to have come into being from a ball of dung. The scarab was also associated with the Egyptian god Khepri, who was believed to roll the sun across the sky. The sacred beetle was often depicted in the form of amulets that had the name of a pharaoh carved on them.