What is a cross? Introduction to the cross chapter

An He, from Egypt, is one of the most famous symbols in ancient times. It is called "the key to life" or "cross-border life" and can be traced back to the early dynasty (3 150-26 13 BC). It is a cross with a ring at the top, sometimes decorated with symbols or decorative flowers, but in most cases it is just a pure gold cross.

It is an Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol (nh = ankh), which stands for "life" or "breath of life". Because Egyptians believe that a person's earthly journey is only a part of eternal life, ankh symbolizes this life and the afterlife. This is one of the oldest symbols in ancient Egypt. It often appears with djed as a symbol, carried by many Egyptian gods in tomb paintings and inscriptions, and worn by Egyptians as amulets.

The connection between the cross and the afterlife makes it a particularly powerful symbol of Coptic Christians in Egypt in the 4th century A.D. They regard it as their own. Using the cross as a symbol of Christ's commitment to eternal life, because he believes in his own sacrifice and resurrection, may be the origin of Christians using the cross as a symbol of faith today. Early Christians in Rome and other places used the symbol of fish fertility as a symbol of their faith. They will not consider using the image of the cross, which is a well-known execution method, just like some people choose to wear the electric chair amulet today. The cross has been established as a symbol of life, which can be easily integrated into the early Christian belief and continue to be a symbol of this religion.

Origin and significance

The origin of the cross is unknown. According to the Egyptian archaeologist Sir Allen H. Gardiner (1879-1963ce), it was developed from a sandal strap, with the top ring encircling the ankle and the column connected to the bottom of the toe. Gardner came to this conclusion because the Egyptian word "sandal" means "nkh" and it comes from the same root as "ankh". In addition, because sandals were a part of daily life in ancient Egypt, the Anhe symbol appeared as a symbol of life. However, this theory has never been widely accepted.

The theory of Egyptian scientist Eawallis Budge (1857-1934ce) claims that it originated from the belt buckle of the goddess Isis, which is considered more likely, but it is not generally accepted. Wallis Bache equates the cross with the Egyptian symbol tjet, that is, "the knot of Isis", which is a ceremonial belt and is considered to represent female genitalia and fertility. This theory that the cross originated from the symbol of fertility runs through the history of ancient Egypt and is consistent with its meaning until today. Egyptian archaeologist Wolfhart Westendorf (B.1924 CE) supports Wallis Budge's statement that he noticed the similarity between the cross and tjet and used these two symbols in the early history of Egypt. The cross is always associated with life, the promise of eternal life, the sun, richness and light. The scholar Adele Nozdal wrote:

The meaning of such a simple symbol is awesome. The cross represents the genitals of men and women, the sun rises from the horizon, and heaven and earth become one. This connection with the sun means that the cross is traditionally painted gold-the color of the sun-instead of silver, which is related to the moon. However, apart from the complexity of these independent elements, what does the cross look like? Its similarity with the key provides clues for another meaning of this magical symbol. Egyptians believe that the afterlife is as meaningful as it is now, and the cross provides the key to the door of death and transcendence (18).

It is often seen that Anubis or Isis put the cross on the lips of the soul in the afterlife to revive the soul.

It is for this reason that the cross is so prominent in tomb paintings and inscriptions. It is often seen that gods such as Anubis or Isis put the cross on the lips of the soul in the afterlife to revive the soul and open it after death. The goddess Matt is often depicted as holding a cross in each hand, and Osiris also holds a cross in many tomb paintings. The connection between the cross and the afterlife and the gods makes it a prominent symbol on the coffin, used as an amulet and a sarcophagus placed in the grave.

The Cross and the Goddess Isis

In the early dynasty, with the rise of Isis and Osiris cults, the cross became popular in Egypt. The aforementioned connection between the cross and tjet is supported by the early images of Isis wearing tjet belts before the cross appeared.

Osiris worship became the most popular worship in Egypt until Isis worship-telling the same story and promising the same return-dominated it. Osiris continued to be greatly admired, but as time went on, he became a secondary role in his story of resurrection and rebirth. But in the early dynasty, the worship of Osiris was dominant, because he was a god who came back from the dead and brought life to others. Isis was the mother goddess related to fertility at this time, but soon joined Osiris and became his loyal wife, saving him after he was murdered by Seth and bringing him back to life. Egyptian archaeologist Flinders petrie wrote:

Isis began to worship Osiris very early, and appeared as Osiris's sister and wife in later myths. But she was always on a completely different plane from Osiris. Her worship and priests are more popular than Osiris, and people are named after her more often than Osiris, and her appearance in life is more common. Her combination in Osiris mythology did not obliterate her independent status and importance as a god, although it gave her a wider range of dedication. In Horus's joint myth, Isis was established as the goddess, which was the main way for her to play an important role in her later period. Until the 26th dynasty, Isis rarely appeared as a nursing mother. Then this school became more and more popular until it surpassed all other religions in China (13).

Many gods in Egypt are depicted holding crosses, but Isis is more frequent than most people. Over time, Isis became the most popular goddess in Egypt, and all other gods were regarded as part of the most powerful and all-encompassing god. The worship of Isis promises eternal life through personal resurrection. Just as Isis saved her husband Osiris from death, she can also save those who believe in her. The connection between the cross and such a powerful goddess gives it greater significance, because now it is especially related to the great goddess who can save a person's soul and provide an afterlife.

The history of the use of the cross

The importance of the cross is that it can immediately identify the meaning represented by the symbol. Even illiterate people can understand the symbolic meaning of objects such as djed or ankh. The Egyptian cross has never been completely related to Isis-as mentioned above, many gods use this symbol to describe it-but with the connection between djed and Osiris, the cross has more fallen into the field of Isis and its worship.

By the time of the ancient kingdom (26 BC13 BC-2 BC181year), the cross had become a powerful symbol of eternal life. The dead are called ankhu (alive/alive), coffins and sarcophagus, which are often decorated with this symbol and called neb-ankh (alive). During the Middle Kingdom period (2040- 1782 BC), the word nkh was used for mirrors, and many hand mirrors were made in the shape of crosses, the most famous of which was found in Tutankhamun's tomb.

The connection between the cross and the mirror is no accident. Egyptians believe that the afterlife is a mirror image of life on earth, and mirrors are considered to have magical properties. During the Lantern Festival, the goddess Nisi (another god with a cross), all ancient Egyptians lit oil lamps at night to reflect the stars in the sky and create a mirror image of heaven on earth. This is to help lift the veil between the living and the dead, so that people can talk with friends and relatives who are already in heaven among the reeds. Since the Middle Kingdom, mirrors have often been used for divination.

The cross is also a popular amulet, which is worn in life and taken to the grave. Historian Margaret Benson wrote:

The amulet named wedjau is made of metal, wood, painted pottery, clay or stone. It is considered to contain magical power and provide supernatural benefits and charm for the wearer. The potential power of amulets is determined by the material, color, shape or origin spell. The living Egyptians wore amulets as pendants, and the dead put them in linen-wrapped coffins. Amulets of different styles are used at different times and for different purposes. Some are carved into sacred symbols to attract the attention of specific gods, thus ensuring that the gods intercede on behalf of the wearer (2 1).

Djed is a very popular amulet, and so is ankh. Although the most common amulet in ancient Egypt was the sacred scarab, the cross was almost equally widely used. During the period of the New Kingdom (BC 1570- 1069), when the power and status of Amon's worship increased day by day, the cross was associated with him. At this time, the cross was often used in temple ceremonies and was related to the worship of Amon and the royal family.

During the period of Amana (BC 1353- 1336), when Okhennatan and other gods banned the worship of Amon and promoted Adon to be the only Egyptian god, Anka symbols continued to be popular. This symbol appears in the paintings and inscriptions at the end of the light beam emitted by Adong Sun Disc, bringing life to those who believe. After Okhennathan died, his son Tutankhamun (whose name contains the symbol of the cross, which means "the portrait of Adon") succeeded to the throne. His rule lasted from 1336 BC to 1327 BC, and his name was changed to Tutankhamun ("the portrait of Amon"), which restored the old religion and kept the cross.

Although Okhennathan's rule was despised, Tutankhamun's successor, Horunxib (BC 1320- 1292), tried to erase all the evidence of the Amana period from Egyptian culture and history, but the cross remained a popular symbol. Ramses II (BC 1279- 12 13), the greatest ruler of the New Kingdom, often used the cross in his inscriptions and continued to use it in the rest of Egyptian history.

Cross and Christianity

With the wider acceptance of Christianity in the 4th century, many symbols of the old religion became unpopular, banned or simply forgotten. Djed symbol closely related to Osiris is one of them, but Anka's cross is still in use. Scholar Jack Tracy wrote:

Its shape is variously interpreted as the rising sun in Ran Ran on the horizon, the combination of men and women, or other opposites, and it is also the key to profound knowledge and spiritual afterlife. The Coptic Church in Egypt inherited the cross as a form of Christian cross, symbolizing eternal life through Christ (35).

When other relics of the old religion gradually disappeared, the cross played a new role, while retaining its old meaning of life and the promise of eternal life. Adele Nozedar commented on this article, "Although they have different origins, powerful symbols often go astray from other cultures, and the cross is no exception. Because it symbolizes immortality and the universe, it was originally borrowed by Coptic Christians in the 4th century as a symbol to strengthen the information of life after the death of Christ "(18). As a symbol of eternal life, the cross eventually lost its top ring and became a Christian cross. Just like the ancient cross, followers of Jesus Christ wear it today for the same reason: they agree with their God and everything he promised.