ankh

Also known as ☥

thumb|upright=0.5|The ankh has a T-shape topped by a droplet-shaped loop. The ankh or key of life is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol used to represent the word for "life" and, by extension, as a symbol of life itself.

AI overview

The ankh is an ancient Egyptian symbol shaped like a T with a loop on top, designed to represent the concept of life. It served both as a written hieroglyph for the word "life" and as a broader symbol of life itself in Egyptian culture.

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Wikidata facts

Image: Ankh.svg

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Commons category: Ankh
Unicode character: 𓋹

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Article

9 sections

Contents

Use in writing
Origins
Use in religion and art
Other ancient cultures
Modern use
Citations
Works cited
Further reading
External links

The ankh has a T-shape topped by a droplet-shaped loop. It was used in writing as a triliteral sign, representing a sequence of three consonants, Ꜥ-n-ḫ. This sequence was found in several Egyptian words, including the terms for "mirror", "floral bouquet", and "life". The symbol often appeared in Egyptian art as a physical object representing either life or related life-giving substances such as air or water. Commonly depicted in the hands of ancient Egyptian deities, sometimes being given by them to the pharaoh, it represents their power to sustain life and to revive human souls in the afterlife.