The ankh represents the union of man and woman and
symbolizes the creation of life through this union.
According to one of the theories about the origin of the
ankh, the symbol could be the combination of the male
and female symbols representing Osiris and Isis, the
cross and the oval, respectively. It was believed that the union of Osiris and Isis flooded the Nile every year and gave life to Egypt hy providing fertility. That is why the symbol is also known as "the Key of the Nile" and why it is considered to represent the union of heaven and earth.