Ceremonial Implement in the Shape of an Ankh

Ceremonial Implement in the Shape of an Ankh

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The ankh was used as a hieroglyph to write the words "live," "alive," or "life." It also became a popular symbol for life in general. In its center, the ankh-sign here features a cartouche (a protective oval-shaped ring) with the name of King Thutmose IV, in whose tomb it was found.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ceremonial Implement in the Shape of an AnkhCeremonial Implement in the Shape of an AnkhCeremonial Implement in the Shape of an AnkhCeremonial Implement in the Shape of an AnkhCeremonial Implement in the Shape of an Ankh

The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.