The grandfather is a column with a wide base that narrows with its height to the capital of the column and is crossed by four parallel lines.  Its appearance dates back to the pre-dynastic era (6000-3150 BC), and it remains one of the foundations of Egyptian icons during the Ptolemaic period (30-323 BC), the last ruler of Egypt before the advent of the Romans.  Although it is interpreted as a symbol of stability, the symbol represents a reminder of the imminent presence of the gods, or a reference to the god Osiris, who is associated with rebirth and eternal life.  The ancestor is believed to represent the backbone of the deity and frequently appears under the coffin to help the newly arrived soul stand up and walk into the afterlife.