It's Amon, not Amen.

The ankh is a symbol of life and death in Egyptian tradition. A true ankh is dangerous so it can only be handled by an immortal, as it reverses mortality. If a living being touches it they would die. If a corpse is touched by it they would awaken & live again. This sign was so important to the ancient Egyptians that some people would carry it's image with them; over time smaller effigies were made which could be worn on a lanyard. This tradition is still carried on today by members of a different religion who continue to honor this symbol, slightly altering it's shape & renaming it "the cross."