Around the neck, thus ensheathed, was a collar of cylindrical glass beads, diverse in color, and so arranged as to form images of deities, of the Scarabeus, etc., with the winged globe.
'There's something funny, though, ' said Hermione ten minutes later, holding her pestle suspended over a bowl of scarab beetles. 'How could Rita Skeeter have known … ? '
In ancient Egypt, people saw young beetles inexplicably emerging from the dung, and the scarab became associated with rebirth and the Egyptian god Khepri, who was responsible for the sun's daily rebirth.
The Scarabeus, the Ibis, etc., were with us, as similar creatures have been to others, the symbols or media through which we offered worship to the Creator, too august to be more directly approached.