As the scarab-headed God of the Sun, Khepri is one of the most mysterious Gods of Ancient Egypt. A testimony to his popularity are the millions of scarab amulets found throughout Egypt, yet many of his functions remain almost silent and enigmatic to modern researchers. Consequently, he cultivated a reputation as one of the most mysterious and inscrutable Gods of Egypt.
The God lacked a specific and broad cult of worship, being seen as a subtle force of a hieratic nature. Regardless, his symbolism appeared everywhere—in homes, business establishments, on town walls, and in many other contexts pertaining to life. The scarab was seen as a force of constant, recurring creation and rejuvenation, celebrated by the Egyptians as particularly important for expressing individuality. To this day, the insect stands as a shorthand for Egypt.
The ancient Egyptians believed that Khepri renewed the sun every day before rolling it above the horizon, then carried it through the underworld after sunset, only to renew it again the next day. Often in artistic contexts, he was depicted with baboons hailing him into the sky—animals believed by the Egyptians to greet the morning sun with their calls.
Relief panel showing two baboons offering the wedjat eye to the sun god Khepri, who holds the Underworld sign, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period, The Met Gallery
Notably, in a somewhat distinct context, Khepri was associated with death and rebirth. Funerary amulets and tomb walls, such as those in the Dendera and Edfu complexes, frequently display scarabs. This served as a metaphor for the desire of the deceased to incarnate again. Funerary texts such as the Book of Gates and the Book of Caverns depict his role as the leader of the barque out of the underworld. At the sixth hour, the primordial and chaotic waters of Nun are reached, where Khepri lies dormant, guarded by a five-headed snake. When Re gives his ba to Khepri, he is revived, and on the twelfth hour, Khepri pushes the sun to its vertex in the midday sky.
Khepri is also often associated with a blue or green color, represented in the mass-produced amulets and seals of Egypt. Most of these items were either made in such a way as to appear that color, glazed with blue-green markings, or—more luxuriously—crafted from rarer turquoise or lapis stones, which were highly valued. This color was associated with the luminance of the Nile during the daytime.
These sacred amulets became increasingly popular throughout the Mediterranean during the Classical period, often manufactured in Egypt and imported industrially into Southern Europe by the advent of the Roman Empire. These symbols represented the self and the maintenance of the true self in the face of malefic and powerful influences. Blue was also associated with matters of commerce, protection, and inner peace.
Some of these amulets had funerary meanings relating to protection:
Some of these amulets had funerary meanings relating to protection: From the late Old Kingdom (2705–2250 B.C.), scarab amulets became more popular than heart amulets. The Egyptian amulet was also inscribed with magical formulae, and "Hekau" (words of power) were uttered when placing these amulets on the deceased (Budge, 1988:25ff.). The heart amulet ("ib") was placed either on the throat or the heart of the mummy, where, according to the priests, the amulet would offer the greatest magical protection (Hobson, 1987:155).
Significance of Khepri in Egyptian Art
He was invoked by the Pharaohs and often appeared in their names as a hopeful symbol of an auspicious reign:
Although this is scarcely noted in the historical record, as Khepri is only shown spearing Apep and engaging in combat to maintain the Solar barque, Khepri was known as one of Egypt’s major war Gods. Aspects of his divine decrees concern the limits of war and the mental side of command. Conduct of soldiers in representing Egyptian civilization was a domain of his that was taken very seriously, as was physical combat to crush
Isfet (Chaos). To this end, he was also associated with the principle of righteous destruction and endings.
Khepri is often associated with Re, Nun, Khnum, and Shu. The
shenu of Khnum, for instance, also shows the scarab of Khepri. In complex terms, Khepri is the masculine counterpart and yet the energetic opposite of Hecate.
SYMBOLISM OF KHEPRI
Khepri’s name means “the self-manifested” and is related to the Egyptian verb
to create. There are many codes to this terminology that extend into all aspects of his symbolism. Hieroglyphs of his name show the opened-eye hieroglyph peering at the sacred scarab, with all illusions dispelled.
A major aspect of his is the solar triad he forms with Atum (Zeus Helios) and Re (Apollo Helios) concerning the progression of the Sun—sometimes represented as Khepri, Ra-Horakhty (Re-Horus), and Amon Ra. Khepri always deals with the rise of the morning Sun, with Re symbolizing the powerful Sun at noon and Atum at dusk. As the Sun ascends in the sky, it generates more and more power and perceptible light, allowing people to accomplish what they must do each day.
The sacred animal of Khepri is the scarab beetle. Many species, albeit not the black sacred species in Egypt, have a dulled golden hue. All species appear metallic.
The scarab determinedly rolls the refuse of other animals into a spherical ball, then lays its own eggs inside, with the newly born young devouring the ball and almost appearing miraculously out of nothing. The ancient Egyptians regarded this process as particularly fascinating and auspicious, signifying the mystical position of the God as self-manifesting and repeating, even without visible birth.
Scarab cartouche of Khepri
Khepri deals with the process of beginning and ending points for all beings. His extensive and powerful command reaches not only over natural lifespans and the living essence of beings but also in delineating the points of evolution for each and every individual—a very significant aspect of reality, which was even linguistically coded in the Egyptian language, as life stages such as childhood or old age were themselves called
kheperu. In this, much of his symbolism falls under the aegis of Re, who represented similar matters in mystery schools.
It should be remembered that the ball is not always rolled successfully by the scarab; sometimes it can escape their careful control, and a decamping ball that is large and fast enough rolling back onto the insect can cause serious harm and setbacks. The struggle to do this for such a small animal is fraught with danger and obstacles. Sisyphean themes of struggling against fate are a large part of the allegories he pertains to.
Dung beetles are known to improve the environment and create viable soil structure. They accommodate plant growth and, by removing dung in large amounts, also protect the lives of vital livestock—something particularly important for the agrarian economy of the Nile. Modern scientific studies have shown that their efforts greatly improve the chances for plant life to grow and be sustained. This was yet another code for the beetle and why it was so highly esteemed by the Egyptians. Much like Hecate’s functions, this element of something ‘filthy’ also concerned spiritual hygiene.
Curiously, Khepri was depicted rolling the ball with his front legs, rather than the back legs used by the actual scarab. Moving through life ‘backwards’ is tied to the symbolism of the evolution of the soul.
The Sun is represented as the ball that Khepri—or the scarab—pushes itself. These kinds of symbolisms deal with the formation of the self—one’s Sun—into a coherent personality able to withstand the onslaught of others’ wills or even resist decay due to the forces of time. The Egyptians knew that one’s own Sun, once built, is inexhaustible and without limitations.
The scarab was also associated with the sign of Cancer and the very ancient Age of Cancer by the Ancient Egyptians, rather than with the crab. This symbolism relates to protectiveness over the self and the determined nature of the insect.
Occult matters of Khepri relate to the shape of the sphere, in a parallel to Khnum’s association with the circle. For example, anything manipulated naturally between two hands can resemble a spherical object with enough motion and pressure. The globe is a sphere—albeit not a perfectly symmetrical one—representing the universality of his attributes and the hope of the Gods that all corners of the earth become a divinely sanctioned realm.
The sphere can be viewed as a collection of orbits or circles oriented around a fixed axis that create a three-dimensional shape. Khepri serves as the governor of this process when it relates to the cycles of lifespans and the quests involved in each lifetime, all orienting around an inner core. Thus, it is shown that Khepri slightly differs from Khnum: while Khnum governs the source of life and resurrection, Khepri governs repeated and distinct creation.
Atoms also relate to this type of shape:
Shapes of the hemisphere are also representative of Khepri, as seen in the mounds created by beetles and termites. Occasionally, the pyramidal Benben Stone of Atum was equated with such a mound, with Khepri springing from it; both Gods were held to be self-creating and self-renewing. A similar symbol is the fatty hump of the camel, which the mobile animal can use for self-sustenance over long distances in punishing conditions.
His Tarot card is the Seven of Swords. The number seven relates to the fractional part of the volume of a sphere, with the property of a cubed radius having an extra third to add:
4/3 𝜋𝜋 r³. Nemesis and karma are also part of this numerological symbolism; interestingly, it is known that Ma’at was sometimes regarded as a daughter of Khepri. One half of the head projections of the sacred scarab (their rays) also number seven.
The design of the card—again indirectly influenced by the appearance of the Gods in the artistic creation of the popular (and partially corrupt) Rider-Waite Deck—shows a blond-haired man in golden clothing of high finery attempting to steal swords from a military camp, with a bright golden sky in the background.
Part of the card’s meaning relates to necessary cunning and strategy. All of these processes are part of accomplishing anything major, being integral to risk. Personality formation also involves standing apart from the camp or crowd, as pleasing everyone is impossible. The latter degrees of the sign of Aquarius being the sign of Khepri is no mistake: the conflict between the Sun of the self and Aquarian ambitions concerning others is a perennial struggle.
The militaristic theme is also a necessary allusion, as Khepri is a patron of soldiers. Whether the camp is the soldier’s own—signifying betrayal—or an enemy camp he skillfully snuck into—signifying strategy—is part of the interpretation relating to the querent. The heavy swords he struggles to carry, as well as the two left behind, can be seen as an allegory for the struggle of pushing the sphere, as the beetle does.
As anyone familiar with the card knows, the broader interpretation also deals with getting things done regardless of consequences or karmic retribution for lying and other deceitful behaviors. What is truly evil is brought into the golden light and cut down. The flag of the camp is raised, suggesting the man may not get away with his scheme. Ultimately, the Seven of Swords also deals with cleansing.
It can also deal with being wary of others’ lies, using one’s mind and force of self to deny them the opportunity to deceive. In some ways, this may also involve a counter-strategy when the veil of ignorance is lifted. All of these themes, in one way or another, convey fidelity to the self.
Arcadia notes that Khepri’s candle color is dark blue, and his metal is copper. It can be stated that copper sulfate is notable, as it transmits a remarkable blue light. The association of Khepri with Venus is suggestive of Venus tailing—and almost pushing—the Sun, particularly at dawn.
We honor Khepri today by engaging in his Rituals, elevating his presence in our hearts to the highest sphere of existence once more.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many, Erik Hornung
Astronomische Konzepte und Jenseitsvorstellungen in den Pyramidentexten, Rolf Krauss
Significance of Khepri in Egyptian Art, University of Pretoria
CREDIT:
[TG] Karnonnos
[TG] Powerofjustice – editing grammar/words
Arcadia – candle color, copper sulfate suggestion, amulet analysis
![Karnonnos [TG]](/data/avatars/m/21/21596.jpg?1704756304){kind=avatar}
and how important they are to ecosystems, it really struck me as significant and shortly after I found a very beautiful and Blue Tiger's Eye-Hawks Eye crystal (perfectly polished) in my garden! It is still a mystery how it got there 
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