Ankh

Description

Only Kings, Queens and Gods were allowed to carry this symbol. The ankh is
the Egyptian sign of life and indicates that the King or God holding it has
the power to give life or take it away from lesser mortals. The Ankh as a
symbol of the life giving elements of air and water was often used by a God
or Goddess who holds the ankh before the King’s nose, giving him the “breath
of life or as streams of water in the form of ankhs running over the King
during ritual purification. This ankh is decorated with the “djed pillar
and the dog-headed “was scepter. The djed pillar was a symbol of stability
and was considered the backbone of the God Osiris. The was scepter was a
popular one for the Gods to hold and became a symbol of well-being and
happiness. The kneeling figure on top of the djed pillar is the God of
“millions of years holding branches in his hands. All these symbols together
mean: “Life, power and stability for ever.