The Ankh The ankh, or in Latin the crux ansata (cross with a handle), was originally the Egyptian hieroglyph which meant “life”. Many ancient Egyptian artworks, especially funerary art, depict gods and pharaohs bearing this symbol. The ankh was also associated with Osiris, the god of death and rebirth, and ankhs were often placed with mummies in order to symbolically convey the gift of immortality. Over time the ankh came to symbolize immortality, and can even be seen as a key to unlock the gates of death. The Rosicrucians and members of Hermetic orders often use this symbol in their rituals. The Coptic Christians, as well, employed it as a symbol of life after death. Ankhs incorporating mirrors into their design have sometimes been used to symbolize perception of the subtle reality. The bladed ankh first surfaced in popular culture in the 1983 film The Hunger, directed by Tony Scott and based on the novel by Whitley Strieber. With its historical symbolism, cultural significance, and esoteric nature, the bladed ankh was the obvious and most common symbol for the Vampire. The Legacy Ankh The Legacy Ankh is a special version of the bladed ankh and is the sigilium which represents the virtues, teachings, traditions, culture and philosophy known as the Black Veils. Some of the Black Veils include virtues like Immortality, Romance, Elegance, Seduction, Apotheosis, Music, Art, Decadance, Nightside, Dayside, Unity, Family, Magick, Dance, Civility, Hospitality, Honor, Diversity, Chivalry, Decadance and Xepher. This precious artifact is proudly worn proudly in public and openly in ceremony by Vampyres/Vampires and Black Swans to symbolize their Legacy and understanding of the Black Veils In 1996, Master Metal Manipulator D’Drennan was commissioned by Father Sebastiaan to make an exclusive version of a bladed ankh to represent the Black Veils and the Legacy. Thus was born the Legacy Ankh, the most recognized international symbol in the Vampyre / Vampire Community. Since there are so many inspired variations inspired by this design, the Legacy Ankh is legally copyrighted and trademarked in order to protect symbol. There are three main generations in the core design of the Legacy Ankh, the first is the original released in 1997, the second was released in 2005 and the third revealed in September 2019 in Witch City Halo (Salem, Mass). The third Legacy Ankh expands to symbolize the Black Veils and charging it to be apart of the sales will be a fundraiser donated to Suicide Prevention Awareness in respect to D’Drennan.