Pendants and charms with shape of a hand. Do you want to know why you can wear hand-shaped jewelry and what does the symbol mean? ♦ ︎
The shape of the hand often occurs in jewelry, for example with pendants or pendants: this symbol is considered a lucky charm. But it doesn’t just mean that. If you wondered what the hand symbol means, read the explanation. The symbol of the hand, in fact, has a long history behind it. For example, it would have already been used two thousand years ago by the Carthaginians and, in general, in North Africa: it was a symbol of the goddess Tanit, consort of the god Baal. Tanit’s cult was linked to that of the moon and fertility.
Different names. The spread of the hand symbol, which is usually used in jewelry as a pendant or pendant, originated in the Middle East. But it has different names: it is called the hand of Alo by the Muslims, or it is indicated by the name of Hamsa or Khamsa (word that in Arabic means “five” and refers to the Islamic religion: it is the number that indicates the pillars of the ‘Islam). But this icon is also called the Hand of Fatima, the fourth and final daughter of the prophet Muhammad. Legend indicates she as a symbol of freedom: Fatima cut herself hand to conquer freedom towards her husband Ali, who had brought a concubine home. And for this gesture the hand has also become a symbol of the freedom conquered by women. The amulet, however, is considered a lucky charm by members of other religions too.
For Orthodox Christians, for example, it is Miriam’s hand. And also for the Jews it is the hand of Miriam, that is, the sister of Moses and Aaron according to the sacred scriptures. The number five also recurs for Jews: hamesh, in the Hebrew language, represents the five books of the Torah. In general, according to tradition, the name was linked to a series of religious interpretations. Over time, it has become a symbol that brings luck when worn. It has nothing to do, however, with Our Lady of Fatima, a town in Portugal where there is a place of worship for Catholics.
The hand today. The hand used in jewelry is generally considered an amulet unlinked from religious beliefs or faiths. It is a simple lucky charm, a decoration. Sometimes the hand symbol is also used to indicate spaces used by women and the desire for independence of the female gender.
Shape. The hand symbol is always the same: five symmetrical right fingers, almost always simplified with two thumbs. The palm is often full of arabesques or writings. Sometimes the shape of an eye is also found: in this case too it is a tradition. In fact, by some, it is called the eye of Allah, while in Anglo-Saxon countries it is known as the evil eye, which is capable of casting out bad luck. For everyone, however, it has the same function: to keep troubles away, or simply a pendant to wear. Cosimo Muzzano
