One of the most well-known symbols of ancient Egypt, the ankh is known as the “key to life” or the “cross of life”. This symbol dates back thousands of years and has important cultural, religious and social significance. It is a cross with a ring at the top and is highly decorative. We love to decorate with jewelry, and what could be better if they also express something profound and awe-inspiring? There is no doubt that the Ancient Egyptian Ankh symbol looks great.
So, what exactly is the ankh symbol and what does it mean? And most importantly, can I wear it?
Ankh Symbol
What Is The Ankh Symbol
The Ankh symbol dates back to the early Egyptian dynasty, around 3150-2613 BC. The ancient Egyptians used to use hieroglyphs to express ideas and words, and this symbol is a hieroglyph that represents “life” and symbolizes the afterlife. Although part of the ankh symbol is a cross, it differs greatly from the Christian cross.
Meaning Of The Ankh Ring
Life
This is one of the most widely known meanings of the ankh symbol. Because it is a symbol of life, many believe it also has a sexual origin. People speculate, based on its appearance, that the ring at the top of the ankh represents the female vagina, while the vertical line below represents the male penis. According to this theory, the horizontal line below the symbol represents the child created by the union of a man and a woman. While it seems plausible, there is not much evidence to confirm it yet.
In ancient Egypt, people had a very developed concept of the afterlife. Thus, the ankh symbol referred not only to the present life, but also represented the afterlife. The key of life is often found in Egyptian tomb paintings and other art, often on the fingertips of a god or goddess, and denotes the gift of life bestowed by the gods of the afterlife on the mummies of the dead. The gods often held a key of life on someone’s lips, which was considered a dedication of the “breath of life,” giving meaning to the breath that the deceased would need in the afterlife.
Protection
The key of life is the equivalent of the ancient Egyptian cross, often carried by the Egyptians as a talisman, and stands alone and is associated with two other hieroglyphs meaning “strength” and “health”.
Ankh symbolizes life and eternity, and it is said that wearing this talisman protects against calamity, disease and magic, and helps the wearer to win love and war. People use it to pray for eternal health, love and wealth, as well as to take a nostalgic look at the mysterious primitive civilization.
Magical Properties
Because the symbol is associated with mirrors, which are believed to have magical properties, many people believe that the ankh also has spiritual and magical properties. There are still people who wear ankh jewelry and believe in its magical properties and symbolism, considering it as a lucky charm.
Ankh Symbol – Gods & Royalty
When one goes to learn about ancient Egyptian culture, one finds them in various manifestations showing the ancient Egyptian gods awarding ankh symbols to pharaohs, kings and queens. They are also often found on the sarcophagi of the royal family. This shows how much the royal family loved it at the time.
Many of the symbolic meanings assigned to the ankh symbol are associated with the Egyptian gods. The goddess Isis, the wife of Osiris, ruler of the underworld, is often depicted placing an ankh on the lips of a soul to revive it and give it eternal life. Thus, the meaning of eternal life is given to the ankh symbol.
As a result, many of our ankh rings are designed in conjunction with images of Egyptian gods. This ring, for example, combines the ankh with the image of Anubis, the Egyptian god of death. Anko is a symbol of life, while Anubis is the terminator of the soul, and the two opposing images give a sense of the power of life.
Conclusion
After a general understanding of the meaning of the ankh symbol, it is found to be a symbol that brings good luck, after all, it is associated with life. Jewelry associated with the ankh symbol has also been worn by many celebrities. So don’t have any worries, go ahead and show off your ankh jewelry!
Thank you for reading. If you want to read more articles about Egyptian jewelry, read here. Or you can just read our previous posts here.
