Scarab Tattoo Photo #9715
The scarab beetle occupies a central place in Egyptian mythology as a symbol of rebirth, the rising sun, and divine creation. The dung beetle's habit of rolling a ball across the ground mirrored the sun god Khepri pushing the sun across the sky.
By placing thousands of tiny dots at controlled spacing, dotwork artists achieve smooth gradients and intricate patterns. This labor-intensive method gives tattoos a unique texture that stands apart from traditional line-based work.
The collarbone's clean horizontal line provides a natural guide for elongated designs. This placement adds a subtle accent to the upper body and works especially well with fine-line and minimalist styles.