Ankh Symbol – History And Meaning

The ankh symbol is a hieroglyph signifying “life.” As a symbol, it is employed to represent life as well as rebirth. 

Created by Africans a long, long time ago, the ankh is believed to be the first – or original – cross. 

The ankh is sometimes referred to as the “key of life” or the “key of the Nile.” This important Egyptian symbol is considered holy, so casually wearing it as an ornament is not encouraged. 

However, this symbol is popular in the Goth fashion because of what it represents. The ankh is a symbol of life, which Goths translate to their philosophy of appreciating the “light within darkness.” 

Ankh Symbol – History And Meaning

If you want to learn more about the Ankh symbol, read on to find out the meaning, history, and significance of this Egyptian symbol.

Ankh Symbol History

This ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol denoting “life” is a cross surmounted by a loop. Ancient Egyptians used this symbol to represent the consonant sequence Ꜥ-n-ḫ, which makes up the Egyptian word for “life.” This resulted in the ankh becoming widely employed as the representation of life.

A number of Egyptologists agree that the ankh symbol is actually a knot made of a flexible material such as cloth or even reeds. The early versions of the ankh resemble the tyet, a sign that symbolizes protection.

For these very reasons, these two Egyptian symbols are thought to have a common origin, and the ankh is believed to be a knot employed not for any practical purpose but as an amulet.

Ancient Egyptians often wore the symbol on amulets for protection. As it represented eternal life in Ancient Egypt, people back then also used the ankh to decorate tombs, shrines, and temples. 

The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria used the ankh as a variant of the Christian cross, adapting it into the crux ansata or ansate cross, with a loop that’s circular rather than oval. 

The Ankh Symbol

The ankh symbol generally represents life and rebirth.

The ankh is used to symbolize the Goth subculture as well as a represesentative of the African cultural identity and Neopagan belief systems.

This teardrop-shaped loop cross is a sacred symbol for Egyptians. The ankh was among the most popular decorative motifs in ancient times, not only in Egypt but its neighbors as well. Back then, it symbolized the spring where the elixir of immortality and divine virtues flowed.

Sometimes referred to as “the key of life” or “the key of the Nile,” the ankh symbol represents eternal life in Ancient Egypt and is widely used as an amulet for protection.

This symbol may also represent the elements that are meant to provide and preserve life such as water, air, and the sun. 

Ankh Symbol Meaning

The ankh is a T-shape Egyptian hieroglyph that bears a loop on top. In Latin, it is known as a crux ansata, which translates as an ansate – or handle-shaped – cross. 

In Egyptian culture, the dead carry this symbol as a sign that they seek immortality from the gods, thus, ankhs were placed in sarcophagi to ensure life after death.