Ankh

The ankh is a pervasive symbol in ancient Egypt. The meaning of the ankh conveys the idea of life or the force that generates living. It has been found on all types of materials, including leather, stone, copper, and wood, although it is most often used on gold. The ankh appears in all eras of ancient Egyptian life and is one of the oldest symbols. However, the exact origin of the symbol is not known. Kemetologists and Egyptologists have searched many documents seeking to discover the first instance of the ankh. This has proven to be a difficult task because of the provenance of the symbol as well as its antiquity.

The form of the ankh is an oval supported by a “T” Thus, its shape has given rise to many theories about its original meaning. The three most prominent ideas are that the symbol represents the coming together of the male and female genitalia, a type of sandal worn by ancient Egyptians, and the Knot of Isis, which appeared on many fabrics in ancient Egypt. No one knows for certain whether any of these explanations is true because there are no records of the Egyptians giving advice about the origin of the symbol. Much like the djed, the symbol for stability, or the was, the symbol for power, the ankh reflects a concern with the practical life of the people.

As a symbol of life, the ankh was also used to represent regeneration or be used as an amulet to protect one against misfortune or as a talisman to bring good fortune. There was an intense interest on the part of the ancient Egyptians to ensure that their fortune was good, particularly as it related to the life after death. The concentration on prolonging life by ensuring that death would have no control over the body meant that they looked for every advantage to secure a firm position on eternal life. The ankh was used in greetings, salutations, and leave-taking. When the Egyptian wrote a letter or a treatise, one of the most appropriate endings was to wish for the recipient all life, or eternal life, ankh neheh.

There is some thought by Kemetologists that the House of Life, a compound of buildings used for the temple library, the archives of spiritual chants, and other information available to priests, was dominated by images of the ankh. In fact, this symbol is sometimes shown as a scepter that was held in the right hand of deities, who could apply it to the nostrils of the dead to resurrect them. To speak of a House of Life was to discuss the appropriate ways of maintaining the society against all forms of anarchy, chaos, and death.

The best philosophers, priests, and councilors went to the House of Life to investigate all issues that related to living forever. So obsessed was the society with life that the wisest among the [Page 59]Egyptians were employed in the process of searching out the keys to life. Thus, the ankh represented the most profound turn of the Egyptian mind toward eternity. Everlasting life was first conceived by the Egyptians. One can also see many examples of the ankh being held by the loop as if it were a key, giving the impression that many Egyptians believed that the ankh held the key to immortality. It could conquer death and bring about resurrection because, in its essence, it was a power over death that had been granted by God.

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