Ankh (life) is the name given by the ancient Egyptians to the emblem in the form of a handled cross, somewhat resembling the Tau of St. Anthony's cross. The cause of its significance is unknown, but as an emblem of life it is always borne in the hands of the gods, and symbolically laid on the lips of the mummy to revive it, or held over the king at his mystical baptism. As a hieroglyphic, it is simply the determinative of all things relating to the ear. It is the most common of all the Egyptian symbols.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More