The Ankh or Ankh is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyph or symbol known as the cross of life or key of life and dates back to the Early Dynastic period (3150 BC – 2613 BC). The symbol resembles a cross with a loop at the top. It is seen in the hands of almost all deities, carried by the loop or with arms crossed and one in each hand. The symbol was found in places as far away as Persia and Mesopotamia at excavation sites and was said to connote both mortal existence and eternal life.
Origin
There are several theories about the origin of the symbol, but popular opinion suggests that the origin is unknown. In 1869, mythologist Thomas Inman believed that the ankh was a sexual symbol, and Egyptologist E. A. Wallis Budge also thought that it could symbolize the belt buckle of Isis or Tyet. The ceremonial sash or knot of Isis supposedly represented the female genitals and fertility.
Egyptologist Alan Gardiner posited that it represented a sandal strap, as the words sandal and ankh came from the same root word. His theory was confirmed by the fact that sandals were part of everyday life in Egypt and the ankh also represented life. In a more recent publication, The Quick and the Dead, the authors claim that the Ankh is linked to ancient cattle culture.
Use
The symbol was depicted on amulets, with the Djed (meaning stability) or the Was (meaning strength), symbols that were said to provide the wearer with protection from the gods. Ptah is also seen making offerings with these three symbols in images depicting him. The ankh was associated with the purifying power of water.
This was evident in numerous temples where the king was depicted with two gods pouring a stream of ankhs over his head to cleanse him. Gods and kings are often depicted holding the ankh to show their immortality and dominion over life and death. For those who had passed on to the afterlife, the symbol was carried when their souls were weighed or aboard the boat of the Sun God, indicating their desire for immortality like the gods.
According to Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant’s Dictionary of Symbols, it also represents the source of eternal life and divine virtues. When held by the loop, usually in funeral rites, it may have been perceived as the key to opening the gateway to the Fields of Aalu, the Egyptian version of the Elysian Fields. Chevalier and Gheerbrant further postulated that when the ankh was placed between the eyes, it symbolized the person’s duty to keep the initiated mystery secret.
Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom Period
In the Early Dynastic period, the symbol became popular through the rise of the cult of Isis and Osiris. Isis is seen holding the ankh more frequently than other deities. Since the cult of Isis promised immortality through personal resurrection, the symbol became imbued with greater meaning and power. During the Old Kingdom period, the ankh was well known as a symbol of eternal life. The dead were called ankhu, and the symbol appeared frequently on sarcophagi and coffins.
The Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom Period
The word ‘ankh became associated with mirrors from the Middle Kingdom period onwards. The Egyptians believed that mirrors were magical and used them in divination. A gold mirror in the shape of a toba was found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. The Egyptians believed that life after death was a perfect reflection of life on earth – a mirror image.
During a particular festival, called the Festival of Lanterns, the Egyptians lit oil lamps to create a night sky of stars on earth that reflected the stars in the sky and in the afterlife. When they did this, it was said to help them commune with the dead who had passed through the Fields of Aalu or Field of Reeds.
During the New Kingdom, the ankh was used in ceremonies and associated with the cult of Amun. During the Amarna period, images of Aten, the sun disk, often contained anchors at the end of the sun’s rays.
Isis Knot
The Tyet, or Isis Knot, is very similar to the ankh. The arms of the cross are bent downward, differentiating the Isis Knot from its counterpart, but similarly signifying life or well-being. Sources claim that the Tyet combines the concept of life and immortality with the knots that bind mortal life to the earth. To taste immortal life, the knot supposedly needs to be untied.
Crux Ansata
Coptic Christians in Egypt in the 4th century BC continued to use the symbol and associated it with life after death, even after the ancient religions and other symbols fell out of favor. For them, it represented Christ’s promise of life after death.
Modern Use
The symbol is used by modern pagans as a symbol of faith, in healing, and to promote psychic communication. It is seen as a symbol of life by various New Age religions. The Thelemites, followers of the religion created by Aleister Crowley, also use the ankh as a union of opposites, a symbol of the advancement of one’s destiny or divinity.
This mysterious ancient symbol, which has no known origin, has survived thousands of years and numerous cultures. Unfortunately, as transmigration does not allow the soul to return to earth, we may have to organize a Lantern Festival to find someone who knows the answer to the mystery of the Ankh.
