The ankh was the Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read "eternal life", a triliteral sign for the consonants ˁ-n-ḫ. Egyptian gods are often portrayed carrying it by its loop, or bearing one in each hand, arms crossed over their chest. It's also known as the key of life, the key of the Nile, or as crux ansata, Latin for "cross with a handle". Origins Ankh in hieroglyphs S34-n:Aa1 ! or S34 The precise origin of the symbol remains a mystery to Egyptologists, and no single hy… (More on Ankh)