- Material: 100% Sterling silver
- More than 1 inch wide x more than 1-3/4 inch tall excluding bail (17 x 43mm)
- Item number: wh107
With its rich detailing and fairly large size this is a dramatic and impressive pendant.
Most noticeably, the cross bar (which gives the symbol its cruciform shape) is in the form of a large bird with outstretched wings, a reference to Isis, who turned herself into a bird so that she could better search for the scattered pieces of her severed husband and resurrect him.
At the top is the well-known Eye of Horus symbol, which is done in relief, raised above the surface of the Ankh.
And the Ankh itself is infilled with a series of raised hieroglyphs, set against a blackened, oxidized background. Other details are also oxidized, especially the three tiers of feathers on each of the bird's wings, creating a textured pattern that is decorative and organic, in contrast with the more rigid geometry of the Ankh.
The ancient Egyptian hieroglyph known as Ankh symbolizes 'Life' and 'Eternal Life'. It was one of the most popular and widespread symbols in ancient Egypt and is found repeatedly in their wall art, carvings, pottery and other artifacts. It was closely associated with their gods, who were often depicted carrying the Ankh by its handle.
Horus was the sky god and one of the most powerful deities of ancient Egypt. As the sky god, he embodied both the sun and moon; the sun was his right eye and the moon his left.
