Ankh
by
Cecille Soberano
Found
widely in Egyptian art, the ankh has come to symbolize life
after death.
Originally
an Egyptian hieroglyphic representing the womb with its
looped top, its meaning is related to matters concerning
life and death, or rather, Eternal Life ("Nem Ankh").
In
art, especially that depicting funeral ceremonies, their
gods and goddesses are shown clutching the ankh by its loop
as if it were a key. In this manner, it is believed that
the ankh would open the gates of death on to immortality.
It
is also known as the Key of the Nile, representing the union
of Isis and Osiris.
It is said that this mystic union would initiate the annual
flooding of the Nile, providing Egypt with her various means
to survive. The meaning of the ankh as womb, thus fertility
and reproduction, is well-illustrated in this particular
legend.
The
Encyclopedia Mythica
