The Ank is one of the most important symbols in the frequent and Egypt, is called the cross of life, key to life. It may also be a hieroglyph meaning of the concept of life, is also the symbol of creation and is often represented in the hands of all the Egyptian gods. It is also an important amulet that represents prosperity and immortality, as the scarab, was also placed among the mummies of bandages according to the mean reincarnation. There are many meanings that have been attributed by archaeologists. Some say that is the womb of the goddess Isis, others that it is the lace of ancient Egyptian footwear surrounding the ankles, while the vertical part represent the sole; other to a stylized representation of the genital organs in place of union, the handle female and male vertical part or even the union between heaven and earth. The Ank influenced the Greek-Roman mythology, represents the symbol of Venus and also female. With the advent of Christianity, this symbol was assimilated by the Coptic religion and later a Catholic view that the similarity with the cross, but obviously it do not have the same meaning since the Ank symbolizes life, while we know that the cross symbolizes an instrument of torture of the ancient Romany and therefore are two totally separate things. Most likely, however, this is the same object that is placed in the hands of Black Madonnas facts are that the west of the goddess Isis. It is represented by a sort of globe with a cross above similar to Ank but upside, at the same time also assumes the meaning of good and beautiful because it turns hieroglyph NEFER, represented by a heart with above the trachea which literally means good or beautiful. This picture at the end was absorbed by Christianity transforming in Madonna with the immaculate heart in her hand.

The Ank (or Ankh) is one of the most important symbols in ancient Egypt and frequent is called the cross of life, key to life or Ansated Cross. This symbol is a hieroglyph which means the concept of life, it is also a symbol of creation and is often represented in the hands of all the Egyptian gods. It is also an important amulet representing the wealth and immortality (the soul), in fact, like the scarab, also was placed among the bandages of mummies, it also means power of reincarnation. There are many meanings that have been attributed by scholars. Some say it represents the womb of the goddess Isis, others that it is the snare of the ancient Egyptian shoe surrounding the ankles, while the vertical sole, others in a stylized representation of the genital organs in an act of union, on the bend female and the male vertical or even the union between heaven and earth. In reality, the Ank is an extreme stylization and a symbol of the prehistoric Paleolithic Mother Goddess. After the Steatopigian Venus cult, related to fertility, the ancestral worship of our ancestors perceived the presence of a Bird Goddess linked to more natural energy. The prehistoric Bird Goddess is not only the divinity of life, but also of the healing, of the Magic, of the death: the woman is not only mother, but also a person with sensitivity and determination, courage and capacity of processing, even death. Here was born the idea of the divine woman, then what would millennia later was identified as a witch, and the Mother Goddess was conceived not only as mother but as a doorway to the Universe, able to convey cosmic energy to the people that practiced the rituals in his honor. Example par excellence of this evolution is the Goddess Isis, depicted not by chance winged. The Ank influenced the greek and Roman mythology, represents the symbol of Venus and the female. With the advent of Christianity, this symbol was treated by the Coptic religion and later to the Catholic view, the similarity with the cross, but obviously do not have the same meaning as the Ank symbolizes life, while we know that the cross symbolizes an instrument of torture of the ancient Romans and then are two totally separate things. Most likely, however, this object is the same that is placed in the hands of Black Madonnas that are the Western version of the goddess Isis. The Ank is represented in Medieval times by a sort of ball with a cross above, similar in design to the Egyptian symbol but inverted. At the same time this globe takes also the meaning of "good" or "nice" because it reproduce the "Nefer" hieroglyph, represented by a heart with over the trachea, which means originally "good" or "beautiful". Even this picture at the end was absorbed by Christianity by turning it into the Madonna with in hand the Immaculate Heart.

(Side, from left) The Goddess Hathor, the personification of Isis, presents the Ank to the mouth Pharaoh Thutmosis IV; then the Goddess Maat, characterized by feather placed on his head, holding the symbol dell'Ank (all Egyptian gods with the exception of the God of Evil Seth, leading hand in the symbol); a statue of the Bird Goddess from Crete; the Mother Goddess of Sardinia, the prototype of the form dell'Ank. Finally, the Christian symbol of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the final evolution of the Ank.