Ancient Egypt is full of wonders that prospectors and explorers discover day after day, and this is what made it one of the most influential ancient cultures. The Egyptians were known for their sharp minds and deep passion for life; therefore, they sought to explore all the mysteries around them to clear the clouds from their eyes so they could see everything that was real. They began by exploring everything unknown, such as life, death, the soul, after death, and others, and attributed each to a specific symbol. Symbols that baffled the world for many years until they began to discover the meanings of these symbols, which the ancient Egyptians made a living legend to this day, and they were also able to preserve their beliefs and concepts that still amaze the entire world.

 

Meanings of Ancient Egyptian Symbols

The culture of ancient Egypt is full of Ancient Egyptian Symbols and myths. Much of their history is a mixture of verifiable facts, including those embedded in myths, through which the ancient Egyptians tried to explain difficult events, such as causes of death, disease, harvest results, etc. Everything we see is linked in one way or another to amazing stories, myths, and beliefs, which is exactly why the ancient Egyptians created countless symbols to explain everything. The Egyptians used many ancient Egyptian symbols not only to express different ideas and concepts but also to decorate temples, represent their religion and gods, and sometimes make talismans to get rid of difficulties and bad.

 

1. Ankh “key of life” – Ancient Egyptian Symbols

The Ankh Symbol, one of the most famous Ancient Egyptian Symbols – the key to life – is a cross with a rounded upper part, one side of which symbolizes the concept of immortal life, the morning sun, the principles of femininity and masculinity, and the earth and sky.

These concepts are embodied in its key-like form. In carrying the Ankh, one holds the key to the secrets of existence. The union of opposites – female and male, earth and sky – and the extension of earthly life into eternity and time into eternity are all represented in the shape of the round cross. This symbol was so powerful and long-lasting in Egyptian culture – since the early dynastic period in Egypt 3150-2613 BC – that it is no wonder that the Christian faith later borrowed it in the fourth century as a symbol of its god.

The origin of the Ankh symbol remains unknown, but Egyptian civilization expert Wallis Budge claims that it was developed from the “Teget” or “Isis Knot,” a similar symbol with two arms on either side and associated with the gods. Female deities- such as Neith- were more popular and perhaps more powerful in ancient Egyptian history, and the Ankh may have evolved from Tejet, but this theory is not agreed upon.

The Ankh Symbol was closely linked to the Isis cult, and when its popularity grew, the same thing happened with this symbol. Many Gods are depicted carrying the Ankh with the symbol of the Djed, and it appears in all types of Egyptian art, from coffins and tomb paintings to palace decorations, statues, and inscriptions. As for amulets, the Ankh was almost as common as the scarab and the Djed.

2. The Djed “ Ancient Egyptian Symbol of Stability”

The Djed is a column with a wide base that narrows as it rises to the column’s capital and is interrupted by four parallel lines. Its beginnings go back to the pre-dynastic era (6000-3150 BC), and it remains one of the foundations of Egyptian iconography during the Ptolemaic period (323-30 BC), the last rulers of Egypt before the arrival of the Romans. Although the symbol is interpreted as a symbol of stability, it represents a reminder of the near presence of the gods or a reference to the god Osiris, who is associated with resurrection and eternal life. It is believed that the Djed represents the backbone of the deity and often appears at the bottom of the coffin to help the newly arrived soul stand and walk to the afterlife.

This symbol is four columns standing one behind the other, the “tamarisk” tree included in the most widespread myth of Osiris, or the fertility pillar raised in celebrations. In general, this shape symbolizes the stability of life and the hope that the gods provide in the afterlife. This Ancient Egyptian Symbol includes four columns, which shows a number frequently used in Egyptian iconography: four. This number represents perfection and is seen in art, architecture, and funerary rituals, such as the four sons of Horus in canopic vessels, the four sides of the pyramid, and so on. Other interpretations also symbolize concepts related to the myth of Isis and Osiris.

As for the tamarisk tree, it refers to the resurrection of the dead, as in the myth, as the tree carries Osiris until he is liberated and Isis returns him to life. The fertility pillar is also associated with Osiris, who caused the waters of the Nile to rise, fertilizing the land and returning the flow to its natural course. In all cases, whatever the object it represents, the Djed is a very powerful symbol and is usually associated with another symbol: the Scepter.

3. The Scepter “Ancient Egyptian Symbols of royal power”

The Scepter is a staff topped with the head of a dog. It may have been an “Anubis” from the time of the New Kingdom (1570-1069 BC), but previously it carried the head of a pagan animal such as a fox or a dog. The Scepter of Was evolved from the first scepters, including a symbol of royal power known as “Hecate” that appears in images representing the first king, Narmer (about 3150 BC), in the Early Dynastic Period (3150-2613 BC), and in the time of King “Jet” (3000-2990 BC) From the early dynasties, the Scepter symbolized power and strength.

The Scepter used to have a double prong at the bottom, but this changed depending on which god or mortal held it, and the color of the staff also changed. In the case of “Hathor,” which is associated with the cow, he carries a scepter at the bottom that is shaped like the horns of a cow. Isis has the same symbol but with the traditional double fork representing duality. As for the Scepter of Ra-Horakhti, “Horus on the horizon,” the god of sunrise and sunset, was blue, representing the sky. As for the Scepter of the sun god, Ra appeared with a snake attached to it, representing resurrection, as the sun rose again every morning.

Each god had a scepter that referred to his own power in one way or another. The god Ptah from the early dynastic period carries a scepter that combines the three symbols: the Ankh, the Djed, and the Was Scepter, with a circle at the bottom representing unity. The union of these symbols unites their power, which is appropriate for this god, who is known as the sculptor of the earth and is associated with creation. The three symbols at the top of Ptah’s staff, with the circle at the bottom, represent the meaning of perfection and comprehensiveness of the number four.

4. The Scarab is a “symbol of transformation”

The scarab is a famous image seen in Egyptian art and iconography and represents the “sacred scarab,” a type of dung scarab. The dung scarab is associated with the gods because it rolls the dung into a ball where it lays its eggs, and the dung serves as food for the young when they hatch from the egg. This is how life emerges from death.

The scarab represents the god believed to have rolled the sun’s sphere across the sky, keeping it safe as it traveled through the underworld and propelling it until it rose at dawn the next day. When God Ra became the prominent sun god, Khepri remained his assistant. Scarabs became popular amulets in the First Intermediate Period (2181-2040 BC) and remained so throughout Egyptian history until the rise of Christianity.

5. The Tyet “symbol of feminism”

The Tyet, also known as the Knot of Isis or the Blood of Isis, resembles an ankh but with two arms on either side of it. This symbol dates back to the Old Kingdom (2613-2181 BC) but is probably older. The tjet is interpreted as a female reproductive organ, the folds of a woman’s dress, or the knot of a belt, and is generally associated with the goddess Isis.

This symbol represents protection and security and is frequently associated with the Ankh, giving the security duality of Isis and Osiris. The Tyet was often carved into beds and walls of temples and was most popular during the New Kingdom of Egypt when the Isis cult was at its height.

6. The Shen “symbol of infinity, completeness and protection”

one of the most important ancient Egyptian symbols, The shin is a circle of tied rope that forms an unbreakable ring that symbolizes perfection and eternity and serves as protection. The name is derived from the Egyptian word meaning “to encircle.” Shen amulets were often worn for protection, and depictions of the shen appear on what looks like a platform, similar to the Greek letter Omega, except that this platform is seen with a tied rope completing the circle. Shen most likely developed during the Old Kingdom or the First Middle Period of Egypt but became popular in the Middle Kingdom (2040-1782 BC) and continued afterward.

The god Horus, the goddess Nekhbet, and Isis are frequently seen carrying the shen, but other gods are associated with this symbol. Shen appears on coffins, temples, graves, and personal inscriptions. The Egyptians emphasized symmetry and perfection, so the Shen was popular and widely represented by them.

7. The Lotus: Sesen “Ancient Egyptian Symbols of rebirth and the sun”

Sesen is the lotus flower that appears heavily in Egyptian art and symbolizes life, creation, and rebirth, especially the sun. The symbol dates back to the early dynastic period but became more popular from the Old Kingdom onwards. The lotus flower closes in the evening and is submerged under water, and at daybreak, it appears to open again, and this pattern corresponds to the sun and, therefore, to life.

Sesenalso represented rebirth for the same reason and was associated with the god Osiris. The four sons of Horus, represented on canopic vessels, are usually depicted standing together on a lotus in the presence of Osiris. The lotus flower appears in many types of Egyptian art, from ceramic figurines to sarcophagi, temples, shrines, and amulets. It symbolized Upper Egypt, just as the sedge plant symbolized Lower Egypt. The plant was sometimes represented with its stem intertwined with the stem of the sedge plant.

8. Eye of Horus: the Udjat Eye “symbol of healing, well-being and protection”

“Udjat” is one of the most famous Ancient Egyptian symbols, the Eye of Ra. The symbol was associated with the protector goddess “Wajit” during the pre-dynastic period, and this continued, although it later became associated with Horus, Ra, and other gods.

The myth of the “distant goddess” takes many forms, but with one constant plot: a goddess somehow rebels against the king of the gods, leaves her home and her responsibilities behind to travel to a faraway land, and must be brought back (or tricked into returning), and so a kind of transformation begins. “Udjat” represents either the goddess or what was sent to bring her back. The “Eye of Ra” symbolizes his presence and observation of creation and is often depicted in myths – such as the myths of a distant goddess – as being sent to collect information for Ra. “Udjat” remained a strong and constant symbol throughout the history of ancient Egypt.

9. The Crook and flail “symbol of the king’s power”

The crook and flail are among the most important ancient Egyptian symbols and symbolize the king’s power. These two tools are associated with Osiris and represent his early rule of the Earth. The two symbols appeared in the early dynasty during the rule of the first king, Narmer – around 3150 BC – and link the king to Osiris, the legendary first king of Egypt.

According to legend, Set killed his brother Osiris and usurped his kingdom but was brought back to life by his wife, Isis. She gave birth to him a son, Horus, who defeated Set and restored order to the earth. With some exceptions, the king was associated with Horus during his life and with Osiris at death. When Horus avenged his father and defeated Set, he took his father’s crook and flail, which represented the legitimacy of his rule, and remained so for the kings of Egypt who imitated these gods.

The crook was an ancient tool used by shepherds, while the flail was a means of grazing goats and harvesting a fragrant shrub called “labdanum.” Since Osiris was originally the god of fertility and agriculture, he has been associated with both tools since the pre-dynastic era, as they remind of the past and the importance of traditions, in addition to, of course, being symbols of power and legitimacy of the king.

10. The Benben stone is a “symbol of creation and rising”

Benben is the main hill on which the god “Atum” stood at the beginning of creation. Although some do not know its name, it is the most well-known symbol in ancient Egypt after the Ankh. The pyramids of Egypt are always a symbol of Benben as they rise from the earth to the sky. According to one Egyptian creation account, the dark waters of chaos were in constant motion at the beginning of time until the first dry land appeared, Benben. Atum – and, in other accounts, Ra or Ptah – stood on Benben to begin creation. Pyramids and similar structures symbolize creation and eternity by evoking the image of creation.

The Benben symbol dates back to the early dynastic period but became widespread during the Old Kingdom, during the construction of the Great Pyramids, when the monuments of Giza were built. This symbol may have been worn as an amulet, but it was most likely a miniature figurine in the Early Intermediate period artwork. Benben appears in many inscriptions from the Old Kingdom until the Late Period (525-323 BC) and was carved on temples, tombs, and sarcophagi walls.