Ichthys - Sign of the Fish

Ichthys ( more commonly spelt  Ichthus, or sometimes Ikhthus, is from Greek word ἰχθύς

, capitalized ΙΧΘΥΣ or ΙΧΘΥC ) is ancient word for ‘fish’.  It was used by early Christians as a secret symbol.

Ichthys can be read as an acrostic, a word formed from the first letters of several words.  It complies to “ Jesus Christ, God’s son, savior”,

in ancient Greek "Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ ͑Υιός, Σωτήρ",

which reads as Iēsous Christos, Theou Huios, Sōtēr.

An ancient adaptaion of ichthys is a wheel which contains the letters ΙΧΘΥΣ superimposed such that th result resembles an eight-spoked wheel.

According to traditin, ancient Christian, during their persecution by Roman Empire in the first few centuries after christ, used the fish symbol to mark meeting place and tombs, or to distinguish friends from foes.