Scarabs are famous among insects for the symbolism they invoke. For medieval Christians they were totems of Christ, drawing on Egyptian metaphors of the scarab as an emblem of resurrection and the immortality of soul. These curious beetles seem to inspire belief in oneself. For Oscar Wilde adopted the scarab has his personal sigil – a potent symbol of the power of authenticity.

I have come to think of the scarab as a totem of spirit. There is something so pleasing about seeing rows and rows of beetles inside a display case. Their similarity deceiving, as no two beetles are truly alike. I wished to experiment with just how small I could hand carve and so these beetles are purposely dainty. Inspired by a variety of antiquated aesthetics each scarab is a token of European heritage.