Ancient Egyptians’ Atypical Relationship with Invertebrates

Abstract

Despite the ubiquitous presence and vital role of invertebrates in all known ecological systems, insects and arachnids are largely viewed as repugnant by people. Consequently, until nature intervenes in the form of infestations, swarms or plagues, we largely prefer to ignore them, lest our attention invite unwelcome interaction. In contrast, the people of ancient Egypt did not distance themselves from invertebrates but instead celebrated their myriad forms. Egyptian appreciation of insects and arachnids is reflected in a range of art, artefacts, and texts dating from the predynastic era until the Greco-Roman period, revealing many positive cultural roles, from practical to conceptual. By assigning them a useful function, they were rendered visible and relevant to Egyptian society. The Egyptians’ example suggests that as necessity forces us to acknowledge the value of invertebrates—from their function as pollinators to becoming future food sources—our respect for them may also grow.

LepTraits 1.0 A globally comprehensive dataset of butterfly traits

“…For instance, butterflies figure prominently in Hopi culture and pottery 14 . In ancient Egypt, the butterfly was associated with the process of rebirth 15 and in Greece, the goddess of the soul, Psyche, is often symbolized by butterfly wings 16 . Today, butterflies are often a first point of introduction for many into nature, increasingly through classroom activities and citizen science programs 17 .…”

Hedgehogs and Hedgehog-Head Boats in Ancient Egyptian Religion in the Late 3rd Millennium BCE

“…39 Related to this protective role that emphasized a hedgehog's hunting abilities, a tentative connection could also be drawn to watery habitats and thus to their association with boats: hedgehogs' natural predation of scorpions may have also been thought to extend to the stings of giant waterbugs (Belostomatidae). Evans and Weinstein (2019) have noted that ancient Egyptians seemingly considered waterbugs analogous to scorpions due to their visual and behavioural similarities, further evidenced in their association with the scorpion-goddess Serket (Spieser 2001). In particular, waterbugs thrive in marshes and slow-flowing streams, the same habitat in which the hedgehog-head boat may have been hypothetically first used.…”

“…As such, one possible interpretation of a hedgehog hunting invertebrates could be that of a visual metaphor for agricultural prosperity. However, it is also worth noting Evans and Weinstein's (2019) observation that negative illustrations of invertebrates are often lacking in the artistic corpus for the 3rd Millennium BCE, and ancient Egyptian artists fashioned decorative pendants and other bodily adornments with images of locusts. 9 However, hedgehogs also seem to have acquired an association with being a 'sinister and baneful creature' in ancient Greece (overview: Mackay 2016; cf.…”

Insect Cultural Services: How Insects Have Changed Our Lives and How Can We Do Better for Them

“…Indeed, in Greek folklore, the butterfly is representative of the soul, with the caterpillar being the body, out of which the soul emerges (Ov, Met, IV-VI). The link between the butterfly and the soul may even date further back, to 3000 BC Egypt, where butterflies were tied to the philosophy of rebirth [ 34 ]. Mythologies are important, as they allowed people to develop ideas about how insects and their place in the world came to be, providing answers to questions that seem unanswerable, such as ‘why do some insects possess unique stinging capabilities?’ In Algonquin legend, bees were afforded stingers to protect them as they laboured, while wasps pretended to be relatives of the bees in order to gain the same advantage [ 35 ].…”