The scarab beetle of ancient Egypt is an emblem of the creator KHEPER. The word "Kepher" denotes being, existence, creation or becoming. The god Khepera is the self-existent maker of all things. The worship of the scarab, which is symbolic of resurrection and fertility, dates form the earliest period of civilization in Egypt. It was thought that a scarab beetle rolled the orb of the sun across the sky, and a winged scarab was associated with dawn and rebirth. In the ritual of mummification, a scarab replaced the heart. Carved scarabs served two major functions: as amulets with protective and religious powers and as a personal seal which designated the property and authority of the individual whose name was placed upon it. In both cases the power ascribed to the scarab was very great. In life it served as the signature of their owner and was thought to bring prosperity and in the afterlife it insured continuous re-birth through eternity. The underside of the scarab is decorated in hieroglyphic symbols depicting a divinity. A god with a human body and the head of a falcon is shown holding a lotus flower to his nose. The god probably represents Horus. Many scenes in Egyptian tombs represent the deceased holding a lotus to his nose. The lotus represents new life, and the symbolic breathing of its fragrance gives new life.