What is the meaning of an upside down ankh?
As the meaning of the Ankh relates to life and the afterlife, its symbolism took the symbol to represent the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. Sometimes, the Ankh is used upside-down to represent its opposite meaning – anti-life or death.
This use of the ankh as a symbol of Christ's promise of everlasting life through belief in his sacrifice and resurrection is most probably the origin of the Christian use of the cross as a symbol of faith today.
The sign resembles the staurogram, a sign that resembles a Christian cross with a loop to the right of the upper bar and was used by early Christians as a monogram for Jesus, as well as the crux ansata, or "handled cross", which is shaped like an ankh with a circular rather than oval or teardrop-shaped loop.
It could also have a more physical connotation: the ankh may represent water, air, and the sun, which were meant to provide and preserve life in Ancient Egyptian culture. Additionally, ankhs were traditionally placed in sarcophagi to ensure life after death.
You may not want to wear an Ankh necklace as a direct substitute for a Christian cross. But it can be worn for spirituality and as a symbol of vitality. Most major religions have some notion of the afterlife and of crossing from this life to that one.
The ankh represents the union of man and woman and symbolizes the creation of life through this union. According to one of the theories about the origin of the ankh, the symbol could be the combination of the male and female symbols representing Osiris and Isis, the cross and the oval, respectively.
As a vivifying talisman, the ankh is often held or offered by gods and pharaohs. The form of the symbol derives from a sandal strap. As a cross, it has been extensively used in the symbolism of the Coptic Orthodox Church. This article was most recently revised and updated by Laura Etheredge.
A symbol sacred to the ancient Egyptians, the ankh represents eternal life. Scholars refer to this symbol as the precursor to the cross, an early version of that same connection between this mortal life and the afterlife.
Green is a color associated with fertility, and this color can be paired with the ankh in a tattoo representing new life. Dark blue is symbolic of rebirth, working well with the ankh's meaning in a design.
Ankh and Christianity – Should I Wear the Ankh? The Ankh sign has long transcended the ancient Egyptian religion and is now used in all cultures and religions as a universal symbol. There are very few religious people in the world, whether Christians or otherwise, who would object to the ankh's use.
What is the Egyptian symbol for death?
Ancient Egyptian Symbols: Egyptian Ankh
For this reason, the depictions of their gods with the Ankh symbolized their power over life and death “Egyptian symbol of death”. Many times the gods were represented by holding an ankh by its tie with their hands.
