Symbols of immortality can be traced back to ancient cultures that differ around the world. These immortality symbols usually have some religious connotation – usually they were devoted to the immortality of the religious figures in their lives and not for their own immortality.
This translates literally to “without decay”, referring to the immortality of the being who never dies or rots. This belongs to the Chinese, Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja.
The Nebu, is a representation of gold in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Gold was thought to be the flesh of the gods, and when polished it gleamed like the sun. The sun was a sign of life, and gold was a sign of immortality.
Ankh was another ancient Egyptian sign of eternal life, or immortality. The Egyptian gods would carry it by the top loop, one in each hand, with their arms crossed over their chest.
Banyan trees in India were also a sign of immortality. Named the national tree of India, their huge roots and wide trunks give off the illusion of a group of many trees. The life expectancy of the trees can reach hundreds of years, which makes the trees sacred.