Resembling a person with arms raised, the ankh—or the "Key of Life"—is one of the most well-known of Kemetic symbols. The ankh itself is an ancient hieroglyph (𓋹) meaning "life", "alive", or "live".

The ankh was incorporated into several words and phrases, like "ankh wedja seneb" ("alive, sound, healthy"), an honorific used when writing about the Pharaoh. It is also a part of the words meaning "mirror", "oath", and "flower bouquet."

The ankh pictured on this page is from the tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose IV. The Pharaoh's name is carved into a protective cartouche on the ankh itself.