What insect symbolizes both death and rebirth in Egypt?

In ancient Egypt, the scarab beetle, or scarabaeus sacer, is a powerful symbol representing both death and rebirth. The Egyptians associated the scarab with the sun god Ra, who was believed to roll the sun across the sky like a scarab rolling a dung ball. This association reflects the cycle of life, death, and renewal.

The scarab beetle was also seen as a protector of the deceased, often found in tombs and funerary art. It symbolizes the journey to the afterlife, suggesting that death is not an end but a transformation into a new existence. As such, the scarab became an emblem of immortality and the regeneration of life, embodying the fundamental concepts of the Egyptian belief system regarding existence and the afterlife.