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ANKH (ayngk)
Egyptian
hieroglyphic character shaped like a looped cross
Common
clues:
Egyptian
cross; Looped cross; Egyptian symbol of life; Pharaoh's cross;
Ancient cross
Crossword
puzzle frequency:
once a year
Frequency
in English language:
67849 / 86800
News:
Beyond
the Pharaohs
Video:
Hieroglyphic
on wood
The
ankh
was the Egyptian
hieroglyphic character that stood for a word which means life.
Gods may carry it by the loop, or bear one in each hand crossed
over their breast. Latinists interpreted the symbol as a crux
ansata,
"cross with a handle."
What
it is a picture of remains a mystery to Egyptologists. Some have
speculated that it represents a stylized womb. This hypothesis
has not met with wide acceptance. Sir Alan Gardiner speculated
that it represents a sandal strap, with the loop going around the
ankle.
The
ankh
appears frequently in
Egyptian tomb paintings and other art; it often appears at the
fingertips of a god or goddess in images that represent the
deities of the afterlife conferring the gift of life on the dead
person's mummy. The ankh symbol was often carried by Egyptians as
an amulet, either alone, or in connection with two other
hieroglyphs that mean "strength" and "health."
Mirrors were often made in the shape of an ankh.
A
similar symbol (♀) was used to represent the Roman goddess
Venus. This symbol, known benignly as Venus' hand mirror, is much
more associated with a representation of the female womb. In
astrology the same symbol is used to represent the planet Venus,
in alchemy to represent the element copper, and in biology to
identify the female sex.
The
ankh is widely employed in pop culture, as a textual device to
instantly communicate deep history, arcane life-forces and/or
spiritual magic. Commonly used as a logo that virtually says
"Ancient Egypt!”
This
article is licensed under the GNU
Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the Wikipedia
article "Ankh".
ANKH
(83) 28 Tu >1 05 Egyptian cross
7
Tu >1 09 Egyptian symbol of life
5
We+ >1 06 Cross with a loop
5
We+ >1 08 Pharaoh's cross
5
Th+ >1 98 Symbol of life
05
Looped cross
4
Th- >1 09 Pharaoh's symbol
3
Fr- >1 06 Emblem of life
2
We- >1 98 Ancient cross
08
Egyptian life symbol
2
Tu >1 98 Egyptian symbol ATEN
1
Th Rea 02 "Enduring life" symbol
1
Th Rea 01 '60s amulet
1
Th WSJ 01 Ancient emblem of life
1
Th CHE 09 Ancient symbol of life
1
We NYT 01 Cross of Egypt
1
Th NYT 02 Cross of old
1
We Jon 03 Cross on a Goth's necklace
99
Cross that appears in the video for "The Sign"
1
We CSy 00 Cross with a circular loop
00
Cross with a hook
00
Cross with a loop at the top
1
We Jon 08 Cross worn by Egyptians and goth kids
1
We Jon 08 Cross worn by goth kids
1
Th NYS 06 Egyptian cross with a loop
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