All The Egyptian Symbols: From the Ankh to the Eye of Horus
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The symbols of ancient Egypt are some of the most recognizable and iconic visual images in the world.
Egyptian symbols are much more than just an old hieroglyphic language. Many symbols were visual representations of the Egyptian gods, goddesses, their famous pharaohs and queens, or even mythical and real desert creatures alike. As such, these symbols were both used in the Egyptians’ writings, side by side with their hieroglyphs.
With all this in mind, it’s no wonder Egyptian symbols and hieroglyphs are such a popular choice for everything from jewelry designs, tattoos, and street art to even brand logos and Hollywood movie concepts.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular Egyptian symbols and hieroglyphics.
The Eye of Horus
The Eye of Horus served as a protective symbol, warding off evil and attracting good fortune. People carried and kept it close as an amulet. This ancient Egyptian symbol remains one of the most popular and is still commonly featured on emblems, flags, and logos in Egypt today.
The symbol originates from the myth of a battle between Horus, the falcon-headed god, and his uncle Seth. After defeating Seth, Horus lost his eye when Seth shattered it into six pieces. Either the goddess Hathor or the god Thoth, depending on the version of the myth, reconstructed and healed the eye. This event transformed the eye into a significant hieroglyph for the ancient Egyptians.
Since the myth describes the eye breaking into six pieces, the hieroglyph also consists of six components. Each component represents one of the human senses and corresponds to a numerical fraction value from 1/2 to 1/64. The Eye of Horus, symbolizing health and unity, remains a relevant and recognizable symbol even today.
The Eye of Ra
Like the Eye of Horus, the Eye of Ra belongs to a different god – the ancient Egyptian god of the sun. although belonging to a different deity, the two symbolic eyes represent similar concepts. However, the Eye of Ra is associated with feminine divinity in the form of goddesses such as Hathor, Mut, Bastet and Sekhmet.
The Eye of Ra symbolizes both the destructive power and the benign nature of the sun. It was a protective symbol, representing the repelling of evil and negativity. It was sometimes seen as a symbol of good luck.
The Ba
The Ba, depicted as a falcon with a human head, represents the spirit or personality of the deceased. Egyptians believed the Ba watched over the dead at night, flew off in the morning to influence the living, and returned after sunset. This symbol carries a highly specific meaning.
The Ba doesn’t represent the complete spirit or soul of a person but rather an aspect of it. Egyptians also recognized the Ka, the living spirit people receive at birth, and the Akh, the spirit that forms their consciousness in the afterlife. Essentially, the Ba represents a remnant of the deceased’s personality that continues to interact with the living world.
The bird-like shape of the Ba likely stems from the belief that it flies during the day, carrying out the will of the deceased. This belief may also explain why Egyptians began mummifying their dead, building tombs, and sculpting statues when bodies couldn’t be recovered—all to help the Bau (plural for Ba) find their way back every evening.
In modern-day art, the Ba can be a very meaningful symbol, be it as a tattoo, jewelry, a painting, or a sculpture as it symbolizes a person’s soul.
Winged Sun
The winged sun symbolizes divinity, royalty, power, and authority in Ancient Egypt and neighboring cultures such as Persia and Mesopotamia. As one of the oldest and most iconic Egyptian symbols, it appears in several variations, with the most common featuring a disk flanked by large wings on either side, along with a uraeus.
This symbol is closely associated with Ra, the sun god. Although primarily linked to Egypt, its origins trace back to antiquity and prehistoric times. Over time, the winged sun likely evolved into the Zoroastrian symbol known as the Farvahar. This version retains the two large wings and a disk but replaces the uraeus or sun with an aged man at the center.
Djed
The Djed is one of the oldest and most meaningful hieroglyphs and symbols in ancient Egypt and it definitely deserves more recognition today. Portrayed as a tall column with horizontal lines crossing its upper half, the Djed is both an ancient tree fetish and a symbol of stability, fertility, and a person’s backbone.
The Djed originates from the myth of Osiris’ death, where a powerful tree grew from his coffin and was later transformed into a strong pillar. This symbol represents both stability and fertility, reflecting the great value placed on trees in the desert landscape of ancient Egypt.
Curiously enough, this fertility symbolism also is a representation of a person’s (or kingdom’s) backbone as the ancient Egyptians believed the man’s fertility came from his spine.
Knot of Isis (Tyet)
The Knot of Isis, also known as the tyet, closely links to the goddess Isis in ancient Egyptian symbolism. Although it resembles the Ankh, the key difference is that the tyet’s arms point downward.
The tyet represents welfare or life and was believed to symbolize the menstrual blood of Isis, thought to hold magical powers. For this reason, people sometimes called it the Blood of Isis. Some scholars suggest that its shape resembles a sanitary napkin used in ancient Egypt to absorb menstrual blood.
Ancient Egyptians commonly buried amulets depicting the tyet with the deceased to protect the body and ward off anyone attempting to disturb the dead.
Ankh
The Ankh, one of the most famous Egyptian hieroglyphs, is depicted as a cross with slightly widening arms and a loop replacing the upper arm. Often referred to as “The Key of Life,” the Ankh symbolizes life, health, and wellbeing.
The origins of the Ankh are widely debated, with several competing theories. Some believe it originated as a knot, explaining the loop and widening arms, as loops and hoops frequently symbolize infinity and eternal life in many cultures. Another theory suggests that the Ankh represents the union of male and female sexual organs, tying it to its meaning as a symbol of life.
Others propose that the Ankh symbolizes water and the sky, two vital elements for sustaining life. Additionally, the Ankh is associated with a mirror, as it represents the hieroglyphic word for mirror and also resembles a flower bouquet. Regardless of its exact origins, the Ankh was immensely popular in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and remains a well-known symbol today.
Crook and Flail
The crook and flail (called heka and nehkhakha) were symbols of ancient Egyptian society that signified authority, power, divinity, fertility and royalty. Put specifically, the shepherd’s crook signified kingship while the flail stood for fertility of the kingdom.
Originally used as symbols of the important god Osiris, the objects were later associated with the rule of the kings and queens. Many ancient Egyptian artwork depict the crook and flail in the hands of the pharaoh, typically cross at the chest. Together the pair of symbols signify the pharaoh’s authority and protection over his people.
The Sphinx
The Egyptian sphinx is one of the most famous mythological creatures in the world. Portrayed with the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and the head of either a man, a sheep, an ox, or a bird, the Egyptian sphinxes were powerful guardian creatures that protected temples, tombs, and royal palaces.
Sphinxes were often depicted in statues as large as the iconic Sphinx of Giza or as small as figurines. They also appeared in hieroglyphic form, either in writing or as art. Even today, the sphinx remains a powerful and recognizable symbol that captures attention and inspires awe.
It’s important not to confuse the Egyptian sphinx with the one from Greek mythology. While both share similar features, the key difference is that the Egyptian sphinx has a male head, whereas the Greek sphinx is typically female. Additionally, the Egyptian sphinx served as a benevolent guardian, offering protection and security, while the Greek sphinx was viewed as malevolent and treacherous.
Hedjet Crown
The White Crown, known as the Hedjet, served as a royal headdress associated with Upper Egypt and the Goddess Wadjet. It typically included a uraeus. After the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Hedjet combined with the headgear of Lower Egypt, called the Deshret, to form the Pschent.
The Hedjet symbolized the ruler’s power, authority, and sovereignty. It wasn’t a hieroglyph and wasn’t used in writing. Today, only artistic depictions of the Hedjet survive, with no physical examples remaining, suggesting that it was likely made from perishable materials.
Deshret Crown
Like the Hedjet, the Deshret was the name given to the Red Crown of Lower Egypt. It represented power, divine authority to rule and sovereignty. It is one part of the Pschent, which was the combination of both the Hedjet and the Deshret together with their animal symbols – vulture and rearing cobra.
The Pyramids
The Egyptian pyramids stand among the oldest and most iconic structures in the world. These massive tombs housed the bodies of deceased pharaohs, their consorts, and many of their treasures and possessions. Archaeologists have uncovered over a hundred pyramids in Egypt, though the total number built throughout the millennia remains unknown.
Even by modern standards, the Egyptian pyramids amaze with their architectural brilliance, showcasing near-perfect geometrical precision and intricate internal designs. Most pyramids align with specific sections of the night sky, a design intended to guide the souls of the deceased toward the afterlife.
Throughout history and even today, the pyramid holds deep symbolic significance. Represented in hieroglyphs, it symbolizes death, the afterlife, and the soul’s journey.
Modern myths and conspiracy theories have further enhanced the pyramids’ mystique. Some claim they served as landing pads for alien spaceships, while others suggest the pyramids were designed to harness the universe’s energy, not just guide souls to the afterlife. Regardless of these theories, the pyramids remain one of the most powerful and recognizable symbols in the world.
Scarab Beetle
The scarab symbol is fascinating as it’s based on neither a powerful mythological creature nor on an intimidating and strong animal. Instead, the symbol is based on the insect, also called “dung beetles”.
While most people today are repulsed by insects, the ancient Egyptians were fascinated by them. What caught their attention was the scarabs’ behavior of rolling animal excrement into balls. The scarabs then laid their eggs in these balls, providing warmth, protection, and a food source for the eggs.
The Egyptians, unaware of the scarabs’ egg-laying, believed the scarabs “spontaneously created” life inside the balls. This idea, along with the scarabs’ habit of rolling dung through the sand, led the Egyptians to incorporate them into their mythology. They depicted the god Khepri with a scarab head, believing he helped the sun “roll” into the sky each morning. As a result, the scarabs came to symbolize life and its eternal cycle.
This abstract symbolism made scarabs highly popular throughout Egypt. People used them as hieroglyphs and featured them in drawings, statues, figurines, jewelry, clothing, accessories, and even seals.
Tree of Life
The Tree of Life held great significance for the ancient Egyptians, symbolizing water, abundance, and fertility. At the center of the symbol, the tree represented the universe, with its roots signifying the underworld and its branches symbolizing the heavens. It also embodied eternal life, and Egyptians believed that consuming the fruit of this sacred tree would grant immortality.
Lotus
The lotus is Egypt’s national flower and its symbolism dates back thousands of years in the region. Much of the artwork of the time depict blue, white and pink lotuses.
The lotus symbolized the lifecycle of rebirth, death, and regeneration. The Egyptians made these associations based on the flower’s behavior—blooming during the day, closing up and disappearing at night, and re-emerging the next day.
Because the lotus only blooms during daylight, Egyptians saw it as a symbol of respect for the sun. Since the sun held sacred significance to them, this connection further enhanced the lotus’s meaning and importance.
Egyptian Hieroglyphs vs. Symbols
Hieroglyphs were the symbols used in the formal writing system of Ancient Egypt. The hieroglyphic language of the ancient Egyptians is easily recognizable, compared to other old hieroglyphic languages, because of their distinct style and beauty. There are many variations to symbols. They can range from simple line images to complex drawings of animals, people, and objects.
In total, there are several hundred Egyptian hieroglyphs, with the number often placed at around 1000 characters. That’s fewer than most other the hieroglyphic languages but is still a rather sizable number. Even though the Egyptian hieroglyphs are essentially a dead language, their unmistakable symbols, style, fascinating meanings, and deep mythological origins make them a captivating subject to explore.
The line between hieroglyphs and symbols often blurs, making it challenging to distinguish between them. Images with symbolic meaning served as symbols but didn’t belong to the formal writing system. Many hieroglyphs began as symbolic pictures and later became part of the writing system. Some hieroglyphs gained such significance that people used them beyond writing, turning them into protective symbols, engravings, and even statues and figurines.
Wrapping Up
Egyptian symbols, artwork, monuments, and architecture continue to captivate human imagination long after the civilization ceased to exist. People across the globe still value, wear, and use these symbols for their rich symbolism, historical significance, and beauty.
