Sign of the horns

"Horns"

The corna (Italian for horns, also mano cornuta, horned hand) is a gesture with a vulgar meaning in Mediterranean countries. Its origins can be traced to Ancient Greece. It is realized by stretching the index and little fingers while holding the middle and ring fingers down with the thumb.

The same gesture is used for warding off bad luck or the evil eye. It is also used as a reference to Satan and Satanism, at least since the 1960s, and has a variety of meanings in heavy metal, where it is also known as devil horns, goat horns, metal horns, throwing the goat, evil fingers, Pommesgabel, mano cornuto, peka evil or just the horns. There is a theory suggesting that Corna is the antagonist of the Sign of the Cross, where three fingers brought to a point symbolize the Holy Trinity. The opposite of the Holy Trinity is the Unholy Trinity (Satan, Antichrist and the False Prophet), represented by the three fingers of the Corna.

The same gesture is known as Rock on in some U.S. rock music subcultures, and Hook 'em Horns when used by supporters of The University of Texas or its sports teams. In that context, it is used to approximate the shape of the horns of a Texas longhorn steer. Neither use is considered vulgar or Satanistic.

The corna is not to be confused as the sign for "I love you" in American Sign Language, which is made by also extending the thumb, or the shaka sign used in Hawaii, which is made by extending just the thumb and little finger.

With the advent of e-mail and other forms of electronic text-based communications; the gesture can be made using various character combinations, such as in the following examples:

\,,/   \m/   \nn/

Infidelity

In Italy, if the "horns", i.e., the stretched fingers, are surreptitiously placed behind someone's head, or explicitly pointed at a person, the conveyed meaning is that that person is being cheated on by his wife or (more rarely) husband. Hence the Italian cornuto, that translates literally to having horns, but figuratively means cuckold. The gesture is also common in Spain (known as los cuernos) or Czech Republic (known as paroháč) and has the same meaning.

To place corna on someone's head when taking a picture is a common joke, and young Italian tourists in foreign countries might be noticed looking nervously over their shoulders when taking group pictures. This was especially effective in the days of film cameras, while today's digital cameras somewhat tend to spoil the surprise effect. This joke is also practiced in other countries, but the index and middle fingers are used, and is known as "rabbit ears". However, the "rabbit ears" gesture does not have any associations with infidelity, and is considered simply as a humorous prank.

The profession most likely to receive the insult cornuto is above all the football referee, since it is customary among Italians (and, it could be argued, all countries with organized sports) to blame one's favourite football team's defeat on to an (allegedly) incompetent, corrupt or otherwise unfit referee. This cliché is so common that it has become a stereotype.

The origin is traced by some as far as the legend of the Minotaur, who was born from queen Pasiphae and a white bull, betraying king Minos of Crete; the most prominent proof of the betrayal, the horned offspring, was taken as its symbol.

Superstition

File:Giovanni Leone corna.png

President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone replies with corna to a crowd in Pisa

When confronted with unfortunate events, or just when these are mentioned or suggested, a person wanting to avoid that fate could resort to the corna to ward off bad luck. It is a more vulgar equivalent of knocking on wood. Interestingly, Italians can alternatively "touch iron" (tocca ferro), which is not considered as vulgar, or grab their testicles, which is considered very vulgar, but is perhaps the most commonplace of the three. All of these gestures are meant to somehow conjure some supernatural power to protect the performer of the gesture.

Such gestures are typically used when a black cat crosses one's path, when seeing a hearse (no matter whether it is loaded), when seeing nuns, or when encountering any situation, object or person believed to bring about bad luck. It was once thought to prevent or distract the effects of the Evil Eye, that is of intentional or directed curses. Historically the gesture was pointed at people suspected of being witches.

President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone shocked the country when, visiting Naples during an outbreak of cholera, shook the hands of the patients with one hand, and with the other, behind the back, made the corna. This act was well documented, as all journalists and photographers were right behind him, a fact that had escaped President Leone's mind in that moment. The gesture was interpreted especially as offensive for the patients.

Satanism

Anton LaVey popularized it as the Satanic salute in the 1960s. His image was often in the press, and the sign appears on many of his photos, such as on the back of the Satanic Bible. It is still used by Satanists everywhere. Many rockers such as King Diamond and Marilyn Manson were associated with The Church of Satan, contributing to the sign's popularity in heavy metal circles (see below).

Heavy metal

The cover of Holy Diver (1983) by Dio contains a demon displaying the gesture.

Gene Simmons claimed to have "invented" the sign, when he was shown extending his little finger on the cover of KISS' 1977 album "Love Gun", although his claim is disputed: "A casual glance at this [album] cover would suggest he is correct. However, there are two points of contention that refute this. First of all, he is holding it [his hand] to his side, jutting from his hip ... Secondly, and most importantly, he isn't really making the sign! We have enlarged the section of the artwork ... to show that his thumb is covering his middle two fingers but resting at the side of his index finger." On the other hand Gene Simmons has even before Love Gun LP showed this sign on stage or during photo sessions (for example Japan, April 1977). Gene was inspired by 60's Marvel comics and especially Dr Strange and also Spiderman. However some believe that the British Heavy metal band Iron Maiden first associated the sign to heavy metal. The grandma of one of the members of the band shown it him when he was little and it was soon adopted as the "Metal Sign". [1]

In heavy metal music, Ronnie James Dio also used this sign. His Italian grandmother used it to ward off the evil eye (malocchio). Dio began using the sign soon after joining (1979) the metal band Black Sabbath. The previous singer in the band, Ozzy Osbourne, was rather well known at using the "peace" sign at concerts, raising the index and middle finger in the form of a V. Dio, in an attempt to connect with the fans in a similar manner to Ozzy, wanted to use a similar hand gesture. However, not wanting to copy Osbourne, he chose to use the sign his grandmother always made.

Whatever its origin in the heavy metal scene, metal fans embraced the gesture as a vague symbol of mysticism, Satan, evil, or simply "metal-ness", and it soon became nearly as commonplace at concerts as headbanging. The gesture has since spread beyond metal to all forms of rock music and it is now nearly ubiquitous. In rock situations the gesture is interpreted as a benign gesture for "Rock on." Occasionally it is confused by fans with the "I Love You" sign, in which the thumb is extended. Gene Simmons shows his sign mainly in this way. In Europe, the sign (without the thumb extended) has both meanings, one as a widely accepted "sign of metalheads" and the other meaning, which is simply to communicate to the band (mostly heavy metal-bands) that you love them and their music.

Rock fans often use the hand gesture in electronic conversations also, for group identification. It's usual to express it with the letters "l", "m" and "l" put together. The formed lml symbol supposedly remind the conformation of the fingers in the actual gesture. An alternative method of expressing the symbol in written and typed text is to use the forward and back slashes, to create the symbol \m/ or \,,/.

It is possible that the erroneous spelling "mano cornuto" arose at this point, since it is a gross error in grammar. The grammatical gender of the word mano (meaning "hand") is actually feminine (la mano), and the expression should therefore be "mano cornuta", to be pronounced /ma'no kornu'ta/. However, the form "mano cornuto" is commonly found in English and German.

Other uses

• In the Netherlands, the gesture is known as the "Bokkegroet" (buck greeting) and implies Satanic worship.
• In Israel, the gesture is known as "Shabi" for its similarity to a snail from a children's TV show.
• The gesture is used alongside the "Hook 'em Horns" exclamation by fans of the Texas Longhorns.

• Fans of the University of South Florida use this gesture to represent its mascot, the bull.
• Parliament-Funkadelic and their fans have used the gesture regularly for decades, actually preceding the use of the gesture in heavy metal.[2]
• In baseball, the gesture indicates "two outs."
• Conspiracy theorists claim a similar sign is used for Freemasonry, the Illuminati, or Satan worship, by extending the thumb outward. This sometimes confused with the Hook 'em Horns sign. [3]
• In wicca the sign is a symbol for the male or horned god.
• In Turkey the sign is a symbol for the Turkish people. It signifies wolf's ears, because of many legends that state wolves and the Turks were related.
• In the movie The Breakfast Club (1985), the principal, Mr. Vernon (played by Paul Gleason), uses the corna as an analogy, stating, "You mess with the bull, you get the horns." It was more than likely from the Texas Longhorn association.
• This gesture is the hand sign for Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., most often displayed with the palm facing inward.

Variations

Existing most often (perhaps exclusively) within the metal circle is a slight variation in which both hands are used. All digits, with the exception of the little fingers, are closed and the hands are then brought together; thumb on thumb. This form has been referred to as "too much metal for one hand." This technique is often employed by Kirk Hammett of Metallica as well as many other heavy metal musicians.

Another form almost exclusively used by the metal circle (such as the Brazilian band Angra) is similar to the version depicted above, except that all digits except the index finger are closed and the hands are brought together with thumbs pointing in opposite directions. It requires somewhat more coordinated arm placement, so not everybody in a heavy metal show can do it properly; others usually resort to the most common single-handed incarnation of the horns.

Comedian Dane Cook has combined devil horns with air quotes to create Rock n' Roll quotes.

See also

• The finger
• V sign

External links

• Dio on the misuse of the horns
• Ronnie James Dio Re-Claims the Devil Horns
• Rock and Roll Confidential on their logo
• Odyssey of the Devil Horns: Who is responsible for bringing metal’s famous hand signal to the tribe? Los Angeles CityBeat, Sept. 9, 2004
• Who really invented rock'n'roll's definitive hand gesture?
• "Metal Council Convenes To Discuss 'Metal Hand Sign' Abuse" (satire) from The Onion, 9 November 2005: "If your head is neither banging nor thrashing, you should not be throwing the sign."