Ankh
The Egyptian sign for life, shaped like a cross with a loop, held by gods in tomb and temple art.
Also: crux ansata, key of life, Egyptian cross
The ankh is a hieroglyph meaning life, drawn as a looped cross. In Egyptian art, gods hold it to the noses and lips of kings, giving them breath and life, and it appears on temple walls, coffins and mirrors. Its origin is debated: suggestions include a sandal strap, a knot and a combination of male and female symbols, but none is proven. Coptic Christians in Egypt adopted a related form, the crux ansata, and some early writers called it the key of life. From the twentieth century the ankh was taken up in Afrocentric culture, in jewellery and by occult groups, and since the 1960s by the goth subculture. It remains a common Egyptian tourist souvenir.