ankh symbol nut sky goddess isis goddess symbol — “Egyptian Representation of the Heavens and Earth,” uncredited illustration after ancient Egyptian papyrus, with ankh symbols, for “How the Earth Was Regarded in Old Times,” by Camille Flammarion in *The Popular Science Monthly,* vol. 10, Mar. 1877

The ankh is a universal symbol of life, both human and divine, and thus it signifies eternal life. It represents the universe and doorway to knowledge of the mysteries and hidden wisdom. In its aspect as a wisdom key, it physically resembles a key. It is also a symbol of power and authority, as well as the covenant. It is comprised of the complementary male and female symbols of Osiris and Isis, which resemble the male and female genitalia. In this aspect, it represents the union of the two generative life forces as well as the two complementary worlds of heaven and earth. In its connection with heaven, it represents immortality and “life to come.” It was originally the Egyptian hieroglyphic for life.

The ankh is associated with the sun and it was traditionally drawn in gold, the color of the sun, and never in silver, the color of the moon. Maat, Goddess of Truth, holds the ankh in her hand, as most Egyptian deities and royal personages do, including Sekhmet, Warrior Goddess, Ptah, God of Creation, and especially Isis, Mother Goddess and Goddess of Magic, Healing, Psychopomp, and Initiation. These deities usually carry the ankh in their right hands.

ankh symbol egyptian isis goddess symbol — Model ankh, Middle Kingdom, Egypt, circa 1981–1802 B.C. Metropolitan Museum of Art

The ankh was a sacred symbol in Ancient Egypt since the days of the Old Kingdom (c. 2686 BCE – c. 2181 BCE) and its range of symbolic meanings is far-reaching. The meanings of the ankh center around concepts of life, especially the life-giving powers of air and water, the life force of flora, and the miracle of life that births and rebirths. While all of the Egyptian deities carried the ankh at times, the ankh was primarily reserved as a symbol of Isis in Ancient Greek and Roman myths.

The ankh is sometimes referred to as the Girdle of Isis or the Buckle of Isis and it carries the energies of the circle and the knot as binding forces. Objects involving knots were important amulets in Ancient Egypt. A knot in a garment, worn over one shoulder, was called the “Isis knot.” In The Oxford Illustrated History of Magic and Witchcraft, the author Owen Davies states:

While these knots may be interpreted as ways of binding or blocking harmful powers or influences, it is also possible to see them as means of anchoring the power of spells recited over the cord while the knots were being tied. Indeed, the well-known Egyptian hieroglyph known as the ankh may originally have represented a circular knot of this kind.

ankh symbol sphinx of ra with ankh — Sphinx of Ra or the Sun illustration from *Pantheon Egyptien* (1823-1825) (showing symbol of ankh) by Leon Jean Joseph Dubois (1780-1846)

The symbolic origins of the ankh are unclear. It possibly originated with a mirror, a doll, or a generic fertility symbol. In Isis, The Eternal Goddess of Egypt, the author Lesley Jackson states that:

The ankh was associated with air and the concept of the breath of life. Deities often hold an ankh to the nose of the deceased. Scent was associated with the life-giving air and floral bouquets were shaped into ankhs and given as offerings to both the deceased and the deities.

Jackson continues on to say:

The ankh was also associated with the life-giving properties of water. Deities are often depicted pouring ankh signs from a vessel over a person. This was a method of showing the life-giving power emanating from them. For this reason, some ceremonial vessels, which were used for liquid offerings, were in the form of an ankh. The power of the ankh would be transferred to the liquid making it more potent.

ankh egyptian symbol isis goddess symbol — Ankh amulet symbol of life, blue colour was associated to rebirth and fecundity

Other appearances of the ankh symbol in Ancient Egypt include amulets decorated with small triangles at the top. These were often illustrated to resemble lotus flowers or papyrus umbels, both symbols of rebirth. The lotus symbolized the rebirth of the sun and reinforced the life-giving meaning of the ankh. The ankh is such a potent and visible symbol that some believe it was appropriated by the Coptic Church in the fourth century BCE as the crux ansata (“The Cross of Life”) or the handled cross.

The ankh is also said to represent the four winds, the bringers of rain and fertilizers of crops. The planetary symbol of Venus resembles the ankh, and many symbolic and spiritual correspondences exist between the two goddesses. One might see the Tree of Life in it as well—or the oval as eternity and the cross as length and breadth—distinguishing infinity from defined space. Or the ankh can be seen as the sun rising above the horizon.

The ankh is also viewed by some as a Tau cross with a handle or loop on top. According to some Christian qabalists, those who do not wear the mark of the Tau are doomed. The numerical value of Tau is 400, the highest single-figure number in Hebrew gematria. It represents the 400 sefirot of the four worlds, standing for synthesis. It is said by some qabalists to represent the voice of God and thus encompass all of creation.

ankh isis goddess symbol illustration — Satis illustration from *Pantheon Egyptien* (1823-1825) (showing ankh) by Leon Jean Joseph Dubois (1780-1846)

The meanings of the ankh are many and there are endless ways to appreciate this symbol and incorporate it into your life and spiritual practice. It can charge your altar with power, assist you in manifestation or fertility rituals, or serve as a gateway to connecting with the essence of Isis or other Egyptian spirits.

In her connection to Venus, you can work with the ankh on Fridays. Or you can connect with its solar aspect on Sundays. There are numerous ways to incorporate the ankh into planetary rituals and observations, depending upon your spiritual orientation and intention.

Read my article Libra Correspondences or my article Taurus Correspondences to find ideas for offerings to Venus.

Regardless of how you approach the symbol of the ankh, it is a potent connection to life source energy, as well as to the Divine Feminine in all of her manifestations. To learn how to work with Isis or Venus, and to understand how these energies present in your natal chart, schedule a personal astrological consultation.

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