THE ANKH
- ParrisVstefanow
- Jun 23
- 5 min read
The Ankh is the Crux Ansata. A simple T-Cross, surmounted by an oval – called the RU, which is, simply put, the gateway to enlightenment.
This enigmatic symbol of Egypt represents ‘eternal life’ and was often found in the names of Pharaoh’s such as Tut-ankh-amun.
The symbol is often depicted being held by a god to a Pharaoh, giving him life, or held by a Pharaoh to his people, giving them life – this basically set aside the immortals, from the mortals, for anyone wearing or carrying the Ankh had gained or hoped to gain immortality. In truth also, the pharaoh was God on earth and so he held his own symbol of the sun and the serpent to his people – he was the sun, giving us life, just as it does in nature.
It is the loop (the RU or gateway) of the Ankh, which is held by the immortals to the nostrils (as in the Biblical god breathing life into the nostrils of Adam.) If indeed these ‘immortals’ are the sun, moon and stars, then this Ru device is indeed a gateway to the stars – or basically a gateway to what we were believed to return or become following death. The Ankh though outlived Egyptian domination and was widely used by the Christians as their first cross, but in this symbol holds a clue to the secret of the serpent.
Thoth (see Taautus below) was said to have symbolized the four elements with a simple cross, which originated from the oldest Phoenician alphabet as the curling serpent. Indeed Philo adds that the Phoenician alphabet “are those formed by means of serpents... and adored them as the supreme gods, the rulers of the universe.”
Thus bringing to mind the god Thoth, who again is related to the worship of serpents and who created the alphabet. The “rulers of the universe” are indeed the planets and stars.
Bunsen in the 19th century thought, “the forms and movements of serpents were employed in the invention of the oldest letters, which represent gods.” This symbol of the four elements was altered slightly and became the Egyptian Taut, the same as the Greek Tau, which is where we get the name Tau Cross from – a simple T.
The T or Tau cross has been a symbol of eternal life in many cultures and gives its name to the Bull in the Astrological sign of Taurus – note here the two elements of the Tau and the RU being brought together. In fact the Druids (or “adders” after the snake) venerated the tree and the snake by scrawling the Tau cross into tree bark.
In the Middle Ages the Tau cross was used in amulets to protect the wearer against disease.
Amongst the modern Freemasons the Tau has many meanings. Some say that it stands for Templus Hierosolyma or the 'Temple of Jerusalem,' others that it signifies hidden treasure or means Clavis ad Thesaurum, ‘A key to treasure‘ or Theca ubi res pretiosa, ‘A place where the precious thing is concealed.’
It is especially important in Royal Arch Masonry where it becomes the ‘Companions Jewel’ with a serpent as a circle above the cross bar – forming the Ankh with the Hebrew word for ‘serpent’ engraved on the upright and also including the Triple Tau – a symbol for hidden treasure and significantly made up of 8 right angles.
It was also the symbol for St. Anthony – later to become the symbol for the Knights Templar of St. Anthony of Leith in Scotland. St. Anthony lived in the 4th century AD and is credited with establishing Monasticism in Egypt, and generally the story goes that he sold all his possessions after hearing from the Lord and marched off into the wilderness to become a hermit.
On his travels he learned much from various sages in Egypt and grew for himself a large following. He was sorely tempted by the devil in the form of ‘creeping things’ and serpents (chaos). In one episode he follows a trail of gold to a temple, which is infested with serpents and takes up residence, needing little food for sustenance other than bread and water. He is said to have lived 105 years and due to this longevity he is credited with protective powers.
The Order of the Hospitalers of St. Anthony, who would later take much of the Templar wealth, brought many of Anthony’s relics to France in the 11th century, although they were said to have been secretly deposited somewhere in Egypt just after his death and then later to have found their way to Alexandria.
The Taut or Tau symbolizes the creating four elements of the universe. Next the symbol of the sun / serpent was added, a simple circle or the oval RU. This loop above the T cross-created the Ankh, the symbol of eternity. The snake in a circle eating its own tale is symbolical of the sun and immortality.
The symbol of the moon was added to this, turning it into the sign for Hermes/Mercury and showing the Caduceus/Serpent origin. No wonder that this, the most perfect and simple of symbolical devices became the symbol of the early Christians; no wonder that, even though there were no cross-beam crucifixions, Christ was never the less symbolically crucified on a symbol of eternal life, a symbol of the serpent.
This symbol became the mark or sign, which would set the believer aside for saving. In Ezekiel this is the mark that god will know, the mark on the forehead. As Deane points out the Ezekiel passage (9:4) should read, “set a Tau upon their foreheads.” or “mark with the letter Tau the foreheads.” The early Christians baptized with the term “crucis thaumate notare.”
They baptized with the symbol of the sun-snake (sun-ake). And St. Paul himself in Galatians 6: 17 states “let no-one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.”
Is this the original mark of Cain, who we have found to be of the serpent tribe?
The idea of this sign or mark is widespread once discovered. In Job 31:35 we read in our modern Bibles “I sign now my defense – let the Almighty answer me” which should properly read, “Behold, here is my Tau, let the Almighty answer me.” He then goes on and says “Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.”
This remarkable idea of wearing the Tau cross on the shoulder as a sign would later become part and parcel of the crusader Templars markings, the very same Templars who are instigated in the worship of serpents.
Also the Merovingians (said by some to be descended from Jesus and a sea serpent or fish god – the Quinotaur or Quino-Tau-rus) were supposedly born with a red cross between their shoulder blades. The Tau cross is also strangely used by those practicing sacred geometry as a “marker” for buried treasure, whether physical or spiritual.
In shape, the Ankh is very similar to the Egyptian musical instrument, which is shaped like the oval RU – the Sistrum.
