Ankh Meaning

When you believe back to the 1960's there are two symbols that spring to thoughts, 1 is the old preferred, the peace sign and the other worn about the necks of numerous peace loving hippies was the ankh. But what is an ankh?

The ankh is a hieroglyphic sign or symbol discovered via most periods of Egyptian history. I have heard various explanations of what it represents stylistically. A sandal strap, a magic knot, a woman's sexual organs, or a mans (depends which book you study) and maybe most poetically, Sirius increasing becoming reflected in water. (Usually liked that one particular).

Nevertheless we do know what it meant, it represented the important of life, the important essential handed by the gods to the Pharaoh, actually "life". Eternal existence, the essence of all that's spiritual and great.

Always the ankh is held to the nose of the Pharaoh, providing him life. If we assume of the art of the reign of the well-known Pharaoh Akhenaton (1352-1336 BCE) Aton sends down his life providing rays of sunlight ending in a small hand holding an ankh in front of the Pharaoh and his family's noses. In other words the rays of the sun give life to the Pharaoh and by way of the Pharaoh to his subjects.

It is fascinating to note that as most of the population in Ancient Egypt had been unable to study the ankh was immediately recognizable to all, even the peasants. Occasionally it is noticed as a potters mark but also is everywhere on all monuments where the Pharaoh is depicted interacting with the gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt.

It became in Ancient Egyptian religion a symbol of all that was superior, everlasting and very important around the gods. In early Christian occasions the sign was known as the crux ansata and became a symbol of the Coptic Church.

In the 1960's the ankh was adopted by the "hippie" movement in the USA a their symbol to denote peace and totally free adore. I do not know if the Egyptians would-have authorized but it was a good touch to use it and in a way it has brought various individuals to want to discover much more around Ancient Egypt and that is a very good factor.

To study extra around the Ankh a fantastic location to begin would be this weblog where you can find out around antiquarian books

Jennifer Jaeger is Australia's initial agent for the Egypt Exploration Society and proprietor of Fine Egyptology and Ancient History books. Jennifer's like of Ancient History has led her to type a effective profession importing and promoting uncommon second hand & new books and journals specializing in her field of interest.