Ankh

The ankh is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyph that represents life. It is commonly depicted as a looped cross with a teardrop-shaped loop at the top.

The sign is read as ꜥnḫ in the ancient Egyptian language, usually translated as life. It appears in inscriptions, tomb art, and reliefs from across many periods of ancient Egypt. The word and symbol are often used together.

In religious iconography, the ankh is frequently shown in the hands of deities such as Isis, Osiris, and Anubis, or presented to pharaohs and the deceased to confer or sustain life. It is also used as an amulet and appears on jewelry and funerary equipment. The symbol is associated with life, health, and rebirth.

Scholars offer various explanations for the shape’s origin, but there is no single consensus. Proposed views include a stylized representation of a knot, a looped rope, or a sun disk linked to concepts of eternity and vitality.

In modern times the ankh survives as a widely recognized symbol of life and protection. It appears in jewelry, art, and popular culture, where it is sometimes called the key of life, though this is an informal designation rather than an ancient name.