What color should the Ankh be ?
The Ankh (also known as crux ansata, the cross with two arms), is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic ideograph that has been used as a symbol for concepts such as life, eternity, balance, function and many more.
It’s frequently found in wall paintings of tombs or on amulets and to this day you will see it on scarves or key rings. The concept behind it is quite simple: It symbolizes the joining of male and female in order to have offspring – hence the association with fertility.
What does the color of the Ankh mean today ?
- Green - Good Health, Prosperity and Abundance
- White - Peace & Harmony
- Blue - Healing, Education and Expansion
- Purple - Wisdom and Knowledge
- Black - Death, Mourning and Rebirth
- Red - Love & Passion
- Yellow - Happiness and Friendship
- Orange - Success and Luck
Symbolism of the Black Ankh
The black Ankh represents the joining of male and female, which is one of the reasons why it is often associated with fertility. It can also symbolize eternity, death and rebirth. It can furthermore be used as a symbol for passing on information and for the act of knowing. The black Ankh is often used in artwork to symbolize eternal life; as in the case of a person who has died.
Symbolism of the Brown Ankh
The brown Ankh is used to symbolize eternal life, love and friendship and is therefore a good choice if you want to create a warm and welcoming ambiance. It can also be used to symbolize knowledge, especially if you add a pair of books or a lamp. In some parts of the world, brown is also referred to as “paint”, which makes it perfect for creating a colorful ambiance.
Symbolism of the Green Ankh
The green Ankh is used to symbolize balance and harmony. Green is a very calming color, so it will definitely help you calm down and focus better. If you have a couch or a bed in green, you can create the perfect setting for meditation or relaxing. The green Ankh is also a popular symbol for good health and fertility.
The colors in ancient Egypt
The White
The white color, recalls the color of the dawn, of the light, but also the color of the crown of Upper Egypt, the hedjet. It is therefore the symbol of joy and splendor. But white is also the color of the mummies' strips, and thus has a ritual, religious value in the cult. White, if it is the color of joy, is also - it may seem paradoxical - the color of mourning.
The Blue
Blue immediately evokes good weather, the color of the sky. The light blue is therefore logically the symbol of the air and the sky. It is also the color of the god Amun, the King of the Gods, who was, among other things, a god of the atmosphere. The god Min can also be represented in blue in his aspect of Min-Amon. The dark blue of lapis lazuli is the symbol of the sky at night, and the abyss. Finally, the turquoise blue is the symbol of the aquatic universe of the Nile.
Brown
Brown is the color of the skin of humans, and this more so because with the Egyptian climate, the skin of Egyptians was dark.
Yellow
The color yellow is the symbol of gold, the sun at its zenith and immortality. It is the color of the gods, whose bodies are made of yellow gold, or white gold.
Black
Black, for the ancient Egyptians, had no connotation of mourning, and rather evoked the opposite feeling, that of life. Indeed, if black is the color of the night and the kingdom of the dead, black is above all the color of the silt ensuring the fertility of the Nile valley and the survival of the Egyptians, thus evoking life, fertility. Indeed, the Nile, during the floods, until the construction of the Aswan Dam, inaugurated in 1971, brought black silt on its banks, silt that fertilized the soil according to an annual rhythm and allowed agriculture, and therefore life.
The Green
Finally, the color green symbolizes vegetation, but also youth, good health and regeneration. It shares some of the symbolism of the color black, and explains why some gods or goddesses, such as Osiris, Ptah or Maat, are commonly represented in green.
The Red
The color red is the symbol of violence, desert, blood and death, but also of victory. It is notably the color of the god Set, the destroyer, who was said to have red hair.
Is the Ankh only used in funerary art?
The Ankh has a very long history and was used in many contexts. Even though it was primarily used in funerary art, it was also used as a symbol in daily life. For example, Ankh amulets were used to ward off bad luck. Today, the Ankh is still an important symbol in everyday life.
The most common use of the Ankh is in funerary artwork. This is due to the fact that they were used to represent the afterlife – the eternal life that the deceased would have. You will find Ankh hieroglyphs on coffins, funerary crowns, stelae, as well as in funerary literature.
Conclusion
The Ankh is a very popular and versatile symbol. It can be used to symbolize many different things, depending on the context. The color of the Ankh can also have different meanings, depending on what the custom is in the place you’re at. If you want to better understand the Ankh, you should look into the colors and symbols that are associated with it.
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source :http://www.legypteantique.com/couleurs-egypte-antique
