Hilary Wilson on… The meaning of life

left The decoration in this doorway at Medinet Habu Temple includes repeated ankhs with human arms holding was sceptres, emblems of dominion. above A relief block in the Open Air Museum, Karnak. The ankh at the top of the right-hand column is accompanied by two alphabetic complements: n and x.

October 12, 2023

One of the most distinctive of all Egyptian symbols, recognised widely even by people who have no knowledge of hieroglyphs, is the ankh. This upright cross, with a loop replacing the top vertical, is a popular decorative element used on all sorts of tourist souvenirs, from jewellery to tea towels and, because of its resemblance to a keyhole, the fobs of many Egyptian hotel keys. For the Copts, the ultimate descendants of the ancient Egyptians, the ankh is known as the crux ansata, a form of Christian cross typical of the Coptic Church. Various alternative cultures of the 20th-century Western world have adopted the ankh as an emblem of peace and love, and it has become accepted as a symbol of

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