12 Most Important Ancient Egyptian Symbols and Its Meanings

#1. Ankh

The ancient Egyptians worshipped life and believed in the reincarnation of life and death. People have to go through many gates after death before they can reach the door of life. At this time, they must use the key of life to open the door and lead to rebirth.

It often presented in burial ceremonies, carried by gods or men, or directed to kings as breaths of life. The Ankh frequently appears in Egyptian tomb paintings and other art. It is also known as “the key of the Nile” as the union between Osiris and Isis.

#2. Lotus

Lotus is a symbol of Upper Egypt, representing creation and rebirth. Because the lotus closes at night, sinks under water, and waits until dawn to rise and open again. The lotus became a symbol of rebirth, life renewal, and the promised eternal afterlife.

The Egyptian Lotus is also associated with Heliopolis, in Lower Egypt. The lotus was also closely related to funeral ceremonies and the cult of Osiris.

#3. Papyrus

The papyrus was a natural symbol of life itself and the primeval marsh from which all life came. Papyrus pillars were also said to hold up the sky. Papyrus shaped columns common in many temples may reflect this double symbolism. As early as the beginning of the Old Kingdom, papyrus served as a symbol of Lower Egypt.

Egyptian papyrus paintings are also the oldest paper paintings in the world.

#4. Scarab

The Egyptians associated the scarab with the god Khepri (“he who came forth from the earth”), who they believed rolled the sun across the sky every day.. Scarab, commonly known as dung beetle, the ancient Egyptians believed that the sun was driven by a huge scarab like a rolling dung ball, so the scarab became the messenger of human beings to communicate with the sun god Amon.

From the Middle Kingdom on, scarab amulets were carved with text with the name of a king, or from the "Book of the Dead" and placed between the mummy bandages, calling on the heart not to testify against its owner. Pharaoh Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty had a collection of scarabs made with texts recording important events.

#5. Eye of Horus

The eyes of the eagle-headed god Horus, represent rebirth. The ancient Egyptians believed that the Eye of Horus would function in their resurrection.

It is often depicted on the coffin of the deceased. It protects the dead from harm on the way underground to immortality, and the Eye of Horus is also painted on the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamen.

Protective eye amulets were worn by both the living and the dead; the eye represented a unified Egypt, and action, anger, or protection.

#6. Crook And Flail

Pharaoh held Crook and Flail with crossed hands on his chest, representing the supreme imperial power. From the beginning, as emblems of crops and livestock, they belonged to a minor agricultural deity, Anedijti, but were later adopted by followers of god Osiris and became emblems for moon gods (Khonsu), Anubis, and Harpocrates, the ancient Greek god of silence.

The shape of the hook comes from the shepherd's staff, symbolizing imperial rule. The flail held by the Pharaoh symbolized the role as a provider of food for the people. Flail was used for threshing grain in the past.

#7. Uraeus

In ancient Egypt, the symbol uraeus represented the cobra deity Wadjet in the form of a cobra ready to pounce on its prey. The uraeus represents the power given to pharaohs by the god Ra. Thus, this symbol appears on the pharaoh's various crowns: the Nemes, the Pschent, and the Khepresh. Egyptian cobras are often carved on the walls of Egyptian pyramids, symbolizing the supreme authority of the pharaohs.

In myths, the snake had many associations, for example as the Eye of Ra, the Eye of Horus, and the crown of Lower Egypt. The uraeus was also associated with Hathor, Bastet, Sakhmet, Tefnut, and sometimes Nekhbet of Upper Egypt (the vulture goddess) who was depicted as a cobra.

#8. The Crocodile

Egyptians’ relationship with the Nile’s crocodiles is complex. After all, they worshiped the crocodile god Sobek and bred, raised, and mummified tons of baby crocs.

These large reptiles, which represented a threat to those who lived on the banks of the Nile, were objects of both fear and devotion on the part of the ancient Egyptians.
Sobek, whose name precisely means “the crocodile”. First depicted in the shape of this animal, Sobek was eventually depicted with a human body and a crocodile head.
In the Middle Kingdom Sobek became solarized, and under the 13th dynasty Sobek was adopted as the patron of royalty.

Sobek was a god of fertility, vegetation, and creative power. He was lord of the waters and wetlands, but at the same time he was a protector god, since the Egyptians observed that he was a fierce defender of his eggs.

#9. The Falcon

Egyptians associated the falcon with the Eye of Horus and the god Ra, who was most commonly represented as a falcon. The falcon was an important symbol of divine kingship.

The pharaoh was believed to be not merely a powerful ruler, but to be the embodiment of the god, Horus. The job of Horus was to protect Egyptians in their daily lives, just like the pharaoh. In recognition of Horus’s important role, people would decorate their tombs with falcons. In later periods the ancient Egyptians offered mummified falcons to Horus, gifts which were sometimes placed in a small coffin with a bronze falcon on top.

#10. Bennu Bird

The Bennu (Egyptian word for: Phoenix) Bird was a sacred animal from Ancient Egypt that had associations with the gods of creation, Ra and Atum. The Bennu Bird was said to have been present at the dawn of creation. It was worshipped in the city of Heliopolis, where the most important solar deities of Ancient Egypt were worshipped.

The Bennu bird has red and golden plumage and is the sacred bird of Heliopolis, one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt. Sacred Bennu has been also interpreted as the reincarnation of the Gods Ra and Osiris. Heliopolis is referred to as the City of the Sun and is known as one of the oldest Egyptian cities. It was believed the Bennu created itself from a fire that burned upon a holy tree in the temple of Ra and yet others believed that it exploded from the heart of Orisis.

#11. Baboon

In ancient Egyptian mythology, baboons are best known for their association with Thoth, the god of wisdom. In addition to their role in mythology, baboons also had a place in the society of ancient Egypt. They are commonly known to have been kept as pets, and mummified remains of these creatures have been discovered by archaeologists. In addition, baboons (or monkeys) have also been shown in Egyptian art to be participating in various human activities, including dancing and playing musical instruments, picking fruit, making wine and beer, and even catching criminals.

As Thoth was also the patron god of scribes, baboons, being his sacred animal, have often been depicted alongside people of this profession. Thoth was also believed to be a lunar god, and because of that, baboons are sometimes depicted with a crescent moon on their heads. This, in turn, may have led to the association of the baboon with another moon god, Khonsu. This is evident at the Temple of Khonsu in Thebes, where statues of the god in his baboon form can be found in front of the temple complex.

#12. Tyet

This symbol, also known as the Knot of Isis, or Isis girdle ,is an ancient Egyptian symbol representing the goddess Isis, the moon goddess.

The Tjet was commonly used to decorate the walls and columns of Egyptian temples, often appearing with the Djed and occasionally with the Was or Ankh. The symbol also appears on numerous items associated with burial, including sarcophagi and shrines.

This is a symbol of unknown origin but has a certain geometric similarity to the symbol of the Ankh. Also, its meaning is similar to that of the Anj as it is considered that the Tyet symbolizes life and welfare.