Ancient Egyptian Symbols And Meanings

The eye of horus represents protection royal power and good health.

Ancient egyptian symbols and meanings. One of the most recognized and famous ancient egyptian symbols is the feather of maat that was one of the forms of the goddess maat who represented the ancient egyptians concepts of order harmony law balance morality truth and justice. In its hieroglyphic system of writing the ankh represents the concept of eternal life the general meaning of the symbol. The eye of horus represents the all seeing eye so named after horus the god of the sky who lost and eye during battle. The symbol was in the hands of every king and queen who ever ruled egypt.

Ancient egyptian symbols people all around the world know many egyptian symbols when they see them. They seem almost magical and people are captivated by their beauty and significance. Many egyptian symbols were depicted in hieroglyphs these symbols were often called the words of god and these symbols were commonly used by priests. Ancient egyptian symbols hekha and nekhakha the crook and the flail are considered to be symbols of the state s power and the king s absolute legitimacy dominance and control over his subjects.

As the most commonly used symbol among the ancient egyptian symbols the ankh which is also known as crux ansata by coptic christians represents life and immortality. The ankh is the most well known symbol to come out of ancient egypt the general meaning of the symbol in its hieroglyphic system of writing the ankh represents the concept of eternal life the ankh or the key of life the ankh frequently appears in egyptian tomb paintings and other art it is known as the key of the nile as the union between osiris and isis the ankh was associated with the cult of isis was also the ank depicted as a cross with a handle that represented eternal life. It was also used as the symbol of the union between men and women particularly the union of osiris and isis which was believed to flood the river of nile thus bringing fertility to egypt. The eye of horus is the ancient egyptian symbol for the sun.

The crook and flail are among the most famous symbols from ancient egypt symbolizing the power and majesty of the king. It is often seen as an amulet in the form of wedjat eye. When the body of the deceased was delivered by anubis to the hall of truth to stand in front the ruler of the underworld osiris then the judgment begins by weighing. It was believed that the sun and the moon were the eyes of the god horus of whom it was written that when he opens his eyes he fills the universe with light and when he shuts them darkness appears.

Both these items were associated with osiris and symbolized his early rule of the land. The process of judgment in the afterlife was heavily dependent on the feather of maat. In the pyramid texts two evil eyes are mentioned which seal the door catch. The word hekha means to rule and is also an epithet of osiris.

It was one of the most important symbols in ancient egypt.