Ankh is an Egyptian symbol of life, regeneration, and mortality and the universe.
Ankh means “life” and “hand mirror” is a tav, or looped cross. Tutankhamen had a hand mirror in this shape.
In Egyptian art, Ankh is carried as a scepter in the right hand of the gods. It’s also drawn on the nostrils of the dead to bring them back to life.
Amulets in the shape of an Ankh were made from semiprecious or precious stones, wax, wood metal, and Faience.
Pagans and Wiccans wear an Ankh as an amulet against negativity and/or a talisman for good luck and good spirits. They also use it to represent the union of male and female. The masculine being the staff, and the feminine being the closed loop.
I’ve also heard of the Ankh being drawn on the lips of the dead so they’d receive the Life’s breath in the otherworld.
Mari Wells 