Planetarium Technology

The Ankh represents the Ancient Egyptian symbol and glyph for life and immortality; it is also associated with magickal protection or Sa. The ankh is too a symbolic representation of the male and female genitalia—i.e., as related to procreation, the spiritual duality of deity, yin and yang. Further symbolism has suggested that the Ankh’s Loop is representative of the rising Sun (Solar God Ra/Re) above the horizon in all of its radiance symbolic of Aten (or solar disk); the crossbar represents the horizon with the vertical portion being the path of the Sun as it rises. The ankh, in essence, comprises the Tau Cross surmounted by a circle or loop. In Ancient Egyptian language, the ankh represents the hieroglyphic letter for “life”. The ancient Tau symbol is also a letter deriving from the Greek letter T as well as being the last letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The Tau corresponds to three important, major deities and cosmologies:  

Babylonian and Sumerian Sun God Tammuz (10th month of the Hebrew calendar; a Babylonian calendar month; Sumerian God: Dumuzid or Dumuzi, “Son of Life”)
Roman God Mithras (Possible origins in Persian Zoroastrianism)
Greek God Attis (God of Vegetation)

Ancient Egyptian Gods, Goddesses, and Pharaohs were often shown holding an Ankh Cross which symbolizes “The Breath of Eternal Life”. There are Ancient Egyptian edifices, pillars, temple walls, obelisks, and sarcophagi depicting royalty and deities holding two ankhs symbolic of “Holding on to Life” not only in the realm of the living but also in the netherworld; you can research the Osiris Pillar of Senusret I, from the 12th Dynasty, to view a pictorial example. Egyptologist and Professor Dr. Wolfhart Westendorf associated the double ankh with the Knot of Isis, also known as the “Tyet Emblem or Blood of Isis” (found as early as the 3rd Dynasty), and believed both ankhs were bindings or ties for Pharaonic or royal ceremonial girdles. The ankh was often used during purification rituals by the Ancient Egyptian kings and queens (via their Sem-Priests or Temple Priests). For instance, I use my sacred ankh during spiritual blessings, ritual consecrations, and temple services. The ankh’s corresponding color is gold which is the color associated with the Sun (just as silver corresponds to the Moon).

Here are some interesting terms associated with the word ankh–the word “ankhu” often referred to “the dead”; and the word for sarcophagus is “neb-ankh/neb ankh” or “possessor of life” or “possessor of all life”. The Coptic Christian church “adopted” the unique shape of the Ancient Egyptian Ankh to represent their Christian cross; as a holy trinity, the ankh is representative of Asar (Osiris), Aset (Isis), and Heru (Horus). There are a myriad of associations throughout time that have been appended to the Ankh. 

On a closing note, the Ankh has many other functions (spells, rituals, etc.), symbolisms, uses (jewelry, decoration, etc.), and metaphysical associations especially with the Scarab or Dung Beetle. The Ankh is indeed a solar cosmological symbol that can be found prominently throughout Ancient Egyptian history, pyramids, temples, funerary texts, and art.