Scarab Amulets & Dancing Dung Beetles: Ancient Egyptian Fashion Weird Facts

Weird News: Scientists Have Fun With Dancing Dung Beetles

What a National Geographic news flash about scientists studying dancing dung beetles has to do with fashion may require some explanation. Bear with me. We're going to take a little trip into the background of the scarab. And yes, you guessed it, the scarab beetle is a representation of the dung beetle.

The dung beetle gets its name from its activity of rolling dung into a ball. It lays eggs in the dung ball, and the new dung beetles emerge out of the dung ball. The appearance of new life out of waste symbolized regeneration to ancient Egyptians. Think about it, this is a potent symbol for everlasting life, and it's  common sense. We still use manure -- animal feces -- for fertilizer. Plants die and new plants emerge through the manure. Baby beetles climb out of balls of feces... resurrection.

Dung beetles rolling off to a romantic spot... via Flickr, CC, by Heath.Windcliff

Ancient Egyptian Dwarfs Made the Royal Wardrobe During Pharaoh Khufu's Reign

In case you've ever wondered who was responsible for all those figure-hugging royal garments featured on pharaohs, queens and princesses, cemeteries and individual tombs in Egypt have served up some intriguing clues. Evidence shows that dwarfs had powerful roles in making royal clothing. Excavations of worker's villages and graves give insights into how the common people lived, and what their roles were in relation to the ruling royal families. One of the most intriguing discoveries is the Dwarfs Cemetery. It reveals the esteem the ancient Egyptians had for some of the skilled artisans who created the clothing of the pharaohs and queens.

"Alypius" by Cliff1033tm; CC, some rights reserved

Not all dwarves in ancient Egypt came to a good end. This Ripley's Believe It or Not exhibit depicts Alypius, a 17-inch-tall dwarf of Alexandria imprisoned for treason. Note the wide belt, kilt, decorated cape and cap. The cape looks like it may have been influenced by Roman fashion.

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2011: Ancient Egyptian Fashion

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2011

A guilty pleasure, a spectacle for voyeurs, a fashion fantasia, a model's dream, a designer's showcase... Whatever you think of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, its impact is far-reaching. This year's crop of long-legged models included young women who first walked in the show in 2000, and other models taking that career-making runway walk for the first time. 

Pageantry and elaborate costumes were a part of ancient Egypt fashion, and some of the Victoria's Secret costumes, with jeweled collars, large jewels draped from shoulders to navel, sheer fabrics and exposed flesh echoed the aesthetics of Egyptian women's wear. Certain tomb paintings depict dancers and musicians performing bare breasted, and even noblewomen wore dresses that put the breasts on display, either barely covered by see-through linen or entirely bare. Sandals were the preferred footwear and jewelry and dramatic makeup were plentiful.

Models in Fantasy Costumes and Angel's Wings

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images via Laurent Jean Philippe, Flickr

It's easy to imagine a pageant of the God's wives of Amon. In Egypt's distant history, women's spiritual roles were a source of power. One important position was as a wife of Amon.

Pharaoh's wives, including Cleopatra, at times took on the role of Isis, and wore wings.

The array of fantasy costumes somehow outdid last year's. As one model put it, "It's amazing what they can do with a bra and panties."

As with last year's show, camera angles that would be too crass to use in most other situations -- up-skirt shots that fill the screen were used excessively -- presumably the fact that it's an underwear show is the excuse. The models own the catwalk with grace and composure, despite all the backstage frenzy during the fashion show.