The Egyptian Ankh: A Symbol Of The Ancient Civilization

The Egyptian ankh is a well-known symbol of the ancient civilization that thrived thousands of years ago. Representative of both life and the afterlife, the ankh was relevant in many aspects of daily routine for Egyptians, used in religious ceremonies, rituals, and found within tombs. The ankh in the image is gold in color, with a prominent scarab beetle in the center.
In the middle of the ankh, a scarab beetle is surrounded by several colorful accents. The wings of the scarab are devised of two different shades of blue. Larger, dark blue rounded rectangles are on the outside of the scarab; smaller turquoise pieces comprise the inner portion of the wings. The body of the scarab is a blue-gray, hazel color, whereas the legs are slightly darker,

The hieroglyphics are located all along the ankh, running across the sides and up and down the top and bottom halves. Cartouches, circles containing hieroglyphics that often contained names are visible within the ancient writing. The hieroglyphics have been carved within the ankh, thin, but deep enough to be clearly read and understood by a person of the time period the ankh was made

This helps to create a three-dimensional effect. Adding to the three-dimensional illusion is the design of the ankh. The sides and lower half of the ankh have been carved so some areas sink lower than the rest. The ends of the two sides of the ankh especially have been chiseled. The hieroglyphics are more prominent this way since they rise above other portions of the ankh. The ankh employs artistic designs while also including the writing system of the ancient Egyptians, suggesting that it may have held another purpose than simply art. The hieroglyphics included on the ankh likely held significant