The Ankh: symbol of eternal life

Ankh
Originally uploaded by djivano

The ankh (U+2625 ☥, 'key of life', 'the key of the Nile', 'crux ansata') was the Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read "eternal life," says Wikipedia.

The ankh appears frequently in Egyptian tomb paintings and other art, often at the fingertips of a god or goddess in images that represent the deities of the afterlife conferring the gift of life on the dead person's mummy; this is thought to symbolize the act of conception[citation needed]. Additionally, an ankh was often carried by Egyptians as an amulet, either alone, or in connection with two other hieroglyphs that mean "strength" and "health"