Tradition states that the word 'ank', being derived from the word 'Ankh' was taken by the Hebrews from the Egyptians by Moses during the Exodus. This may or may not be entirely true for some sources maintain that the word Ankh was already in common usage throughout some parts of Northern Africa. Nevertheless 'Ank' in Hebrew, with the personal suffix, means ' my life' or ' my being' so it is both easy and natural to make the connection between the Ankh and Ancient Egypt.

Early Christianity

Sixth Century Coptic Ankh

During the the early centuries AD the monotheistic belief system of the Ancient Egyptians gradually started to take hold in the early Christian church. Eventually it came to eclipse polytheistism in the same way as it had done during the second and third Egyptian dynasties. Eventually the Ankh glyph became adopted by the Coptic church which gradually embraced it as an important sacred and religious symbol.

During this time it came to be known as the Crux Ansata or 'The Cross of Life'. This ancient symbol was so important to the early Christians that it grew in universal use and application for the following centuries. Recently a replication of the Crus Ansata was discovered tooled it into the cover of one of the collections of gospels found at Nag Hammadi. These have more commonly become known as the Dead Sea Scrolls and now form one of the important collection of Gnostic documents of the time.

In short the Crux Ansata, from a Coptic point of view, was simply and universally, believed to be the key to the mysteries of antiquity. It eventually gave rise to the more modern theological account of St. Peter's golden key to heaven. In this context the symbol begins to open up to a whole new range of esoteric meaning and hidden associations.

The Rose Ankh and Christ

Rose Ankh and the Mysteries of Christ

In his 'Sacred Mysteries Among the Mayas and Quiches' he notes that the Crux Ansata was found adorning the breasts of statues and bas-reliefs at Palenque, Copan, and throughout Central America. It was also discovered to be sculptured upon the back of at least one of the great stone figures found on Easter Island during its removal to London by ship and to where it now resides in the British Museum.

Irrespective of its originating source the Ankh, or Crux Ansata, has been consistently used in relation to the element water throughout history. Among the Babylonians, for example, it was used as an emblem of their water gods. Another recurring association of the Ankh is that of life or resurrection. Among the Scandanavians it is related to 'heaven' and immortality whilst for the Mayas it represented rejuvenation and 'freedom from physical suffering'.

This latter association has a close correlation to the early Christians who promoted the story of Christ, his crucifixion upon the T cross and his resurrection three days later. The loop of the Ankh is often therefore interpreted as the heavenly realm into which Christ ascended - although in an esoteric sense it is also seen as the rose crown of thorns which anointed the head of Christ during his time of his crucifixion. (see footnote 1)

The Ankh and the Divine Feminine

The Goddess and Venus in the Tarot

Throughout the period of renaissance in occultism that developed from the early 15th century through to the early 20th century the Ankh appeared in many differing guises.

During this period it became emblematic of the Divine Feminine. As we saw earlier this connection had already been established in Egypt with the idea that the Ankh was a representation of Isis but from the Cult of the Virgin, and the development of importance played to Mary Magdelene in Christian mythology, the Ankh acted as a key opening up the feminine mysteries to a wide range of occult groups. This idea has grown particular strength in the past few years following on from the publication of Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' and the sudden rise of interest in the Magdalene and associated feminine Christian symbolism.

Through all of these seemingly diverse disciplines of the time a renewed interest developed into the spiritual influence of the planet Venus. The early astrologers also made the close connection between Venus and the Ankh by using the symbol to represent the planet on charts.

However, the interest in the Ankhian mysteries extended through many mystical disciplines. The Alchemists, for an example, were one of those groups who were deeply interested in the esoteric significance of Venus. As a result they modified and developed their understanding of basic Ankh theory and Venusian concepts by working with the substance copper - both literally and metaphorically.

Venus and the Occult

Rose Cross Lamen of the Golden Dawn

The Alchemical tradition extended through many of the mystical teachings of the time when several mystical writers of the time integrated it into their work. One of these was the occult writer and researcher A. E. Waite who published his ground-breaking interpretation of the Tarot cards; a treatise which spawned the Rider/Waite Tarot - one of the most popular Tarot decks available in the world today. In the third Arcanum of the Major Arcana he captured the totality of the Mysteries of the Feminine Divine and Venus in the card 'THE EMPRESS' and used the Ankh as a central glyph to symbolise them. (see footnote 2)

Indeed the Golden Dawn initiates developed a unique glyph which they called 'The Rose Cross Lamen' which clearly draws upon the Ankh and its associated symbolism. The Rosicrucian movement followed a similar route of esoteric development but stayed closer to the roots of the femine and Goddess mysteries.

The crown of thorns which was placed upon the head of Christ whilst on the cross opens up a long list of new associations which primarily underpin the Rosicrucian mysteries. The thorns were of course those of the rose which is the occult emblem of the metaphysical system of the Rosy Cross. Other close symbologies include Friday, the day Christ was crucified on and the Ankh symbol itself as all being associated with Venus.

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