Hamsa
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Khamsa.jpg/170px-Khamsa.jpg)
The Hamsa (Arabic: خمسة Ḥamsah, also romanized khamsa), is a palm-shaped amulet popular throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and commonly used in jewelry and wall hangings.[1][2] Depicting the open right hand, an image recognized and used as a sign of protection in many societies throughout history, the hamsa is believed to provide defense against the evil eye.
Etymology
Khamsa is an Arabic word that literally means "five", but also "the five fingers of the hand".[3][4][5] It may also be taken as a reference to the primary number itself.
History
Early use of the hamsa has been traced to ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). A universal sign of protection, the image of the open right hand is seen in Mesopotamian artifacts in the amulets of the Qāt Ištar/Inana.[2] Other symbols of divine protection based around the hand include the Hand-of-Venus (or Aphrodite), the Hand-of-Mary, that was used to protect women from the evil eye, boost fertility and lactation, promote healthy pregnancies and strengthen the weak, and in the Buddha's [[1]]gesture (mudrā) of teaching and protection.[2] In that time, women were under immense pressure and expectation to become mothers.[6] The women’s upbringing was centered on becoming a mother as an exclusive role, and it indicated child bearing as necessary.[7] In addition, it was also thought marriage was a sense of protection for both the man and woman.[8]
One theory postulates a connection between the khamsa and the Mano Pantea (or Hand-of-the-All-Goddess), an amulet known to ancient Egyptians as the Two Fingers. In this amulet, the Two Fingers represent Isis and Osiris and the thumb, their child Horus and it was used to invoke the protective spirits of parents over their child.[2] Another theory traces the origins of the hamsa to Carthage (Phoenicia) where the hand (or in some cases vulva) of the supreme deity Tanit was used to ward off the evil eye.[9] According to Bruno Barbatti, at that time this motive was the most important sign of Apotropaic magic in the Islamic world though many modern representations continue to show obviously an origin from sex symbolism.[10]
This relates to the belief that God exists in everything. Another meaning of this symbol relates to the sky god, Horus. It refers to the eye of Horus, which means man cannot escape from the eye of conscience. It says that the sun and moon are the eyes of Horus. The Hand of Fatima also represents femininity, and is referred as the woman's holy hand. It is believed to have extraordinary characteristics that can protect people from evil and other dangers.[11]
The hamsa's path into Jewish culture, and its popularity particularly in Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish communities, can be traced through its use in Islam.[2][9] Many Jews believe that the five fingers of the hamsa hand remind its wearer to use their five senses to praise God.[12] This "favourite Muslim talisman" became a part of Jewish tradition in North African and Middle Eastern Muslim countries.[13] The symbol of the hand appears in Kabbalistic manuscripts and amulets, doubling as the Hebrew letter "Shin", the first letter of "Shaddai", one of the names referring to God.[14]
The khamsa holds recognition as a bearer of good fortune among Christians in the region as well. Levantine Christians call it the hand of Mary (Arabic: Kef Miryam, or the "Virgin Mary's Hand").[15][16] Well after the end of Islamic rule in Spain, its use was significant enough to prompt an episcopal committee convened by Emperor Charles V to decree a ban on the Hand of Fatima and all open right hand amulets in 1526.[2]
Symbolism and usage
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Door_knocker%2C_N%27Kob.jpg/170px-Door_knocker%2C_N%27Kob.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/HamsaS.jpg/200px-HamsaS.jpg)
The Hand (Khamsa), particularly the open right hand, is a sign of protection that also represents blessings, power and strength, and is seen as potent in deflecting the evil eye.[2][17] One of the most common components of gold and silver jewelry in the region,[18] historically and traditionally, it was most commonly carved in jet or formed from silver, a metal believed to represent purity and hold magical properties.[2][19] It is also painted in red (sometimes using the blood of a sacrificed animal) on the walls of houses for protection,[20][21] or painted or hung on the doorways of rooms, such as those of an expectant mother or new baby.[2] The hand can be depicted with the fingers spread apart to ward off evil, or as closed together to bring good luck.[22] Highly stylized versions may be difficult to recognize as hands, and can consist of five circles representing the fingers, situated around a central circle representing the palm.[22]
Used to protect against evil eye, a malicious stare believed to be able to cause illness, death or just general unluckiness, hamsas often contain an eye symbol.[19][23] Depictions of the hand, the eye or the number five in Arabic (and Berber) tradition are related to warding off the evil eye, as exemplified in the saying khamsa fi ainek ("five [fingers] in your eye").[23] Raising one's right hand with the palm showing and the fingers slightly apart is part of this curse meant "to blind the aggressor".[20] Another formula uttered against the evil eye in Arabic, but without hand gestures, is khamsa wa-khamis ("five and Thursday").[24][25] As the fifth day of the week, Thursday is considered a good day for magic rites and pilgrimages to the tombs of revered saints to counteract the effects of the evil eye.[26]
Due to its significance in both Arabic and Berber culture, the hamsa is one of the national symbols of Algeria and appears in its emblem. It is also the most popular among the different amulets (such as the Eye and the Hirz — a silver box containing verses of the Quran) for warding off the evil eye in Egypt.[18] Egyptian women who live in baladi ("traditional") urban quarters often make khamaysa, which are amulets made up of five (khamsa) objects to attach to their children's hair or black aprons. The five objects can be made of peppers, hands, circles or stars hanging from hooks.[21]
At the time of the establishment of the State of Israel, the widespread use of the talisman by Palestinians and Jews from Islamic countries was considered a sign of "Easternness", looked down upon in the Eurocentric Ashkenazi cultural milieu that dominated. However, in the wake of the renewed interest in Mizrahi folklore and customs in Israel, use of the hamsa has become more common.
At the Mimouna, a North African Jewish celebration held after Passover, tables are laid with various symbols of luck and fertility, with an emphasis on the number "5", such as five pieces of gold jewelry or five beans arranged on a leaf of pastry. The repetition of the number five is associated with the hamsa amulet.[27]
Gallery
-
Amulet with two hands of Fatimah, bearing the inscriptions "God is the guardian", "God brings consolation in all trials".
-
Hamsa in the Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam.
-
Icon for WikiProject Visual arts.
See also
References
- ^ Bernasek et al., 2008, p. 12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Sonbol, 2005, pp. 355–359.
- ^ Zenner, 1988, p. 284.
- ^ World Institute for Advanced Phenomenological Research and Learning (Belmont, Estados Unidos), 1991, p. 219.
- ^ Drazin, 2009, p. 268.
- ^ "The World of Child Labor". Loretta E. Bass. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ^ Wadud, Amina (1999). Qur'an and Woman. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 64.
- ^ Sechzer, Jeri (2004). ""Islam and Woman: Where Tradition Meets Modernity": History and Interpretations of Islamic Women's Status". Sex Roles. 51 (5/6): 263. doi:10.1023/B:SERS.0000046610.16101.e0.
- ^ a b Silver, 2008, p. 201.
- ^ Berber Carpets of Morocco: The Symbols Origin and Meaning by Bruno Barbatti, page 205
- ^ Lenhart, Sandy. "Hand of Fatima Meaning - Origin and Variations". Ezine Articles. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.
- ^ "Hamsa Hand Symbology: What Is the Hamsa Hand?" (Hamesh, Chamsa, Khamsa). N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.
- ^ Shadur, Joseph and Jehudit (2002). Traditional Jewish Papercuts - An Inner Worlds of Art and Symbol. University Press of New England. p. 92. ISBN 9781584651659.
- ^ EMAIL, Jewish Magazine. "Angels and Demons". Jewishmag.com. Retrieved 2013-06-25.
- ^ Perennial Books, 1970, p. 186.
- ^ Trumball, 1896, p. 77.
- ^ Rajab, 1989, p. 116.
- ^ a b Badawi, 2004, p. 510.
- ^ a b Lynch and Roberts, 2010, p. 8.
- ^ a b Schimmel, p. 92.
- ^ a b Early, 1993, p. 116
- ^ a b Gomez, 1996, p. 54.
- ^ a b Ham and Bing, 2007, p. 385.
- ^ Lent et al., 1996, p. 189.
- ^ Shinar, 2004, p. 117.
- ^ Houtsma, 1993, p. 897.
- ^ Bin-Nun, Yigal (8 April 2007). "Lady Luck". Haaretz. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
Bibliography
- Hamsa Meaning Documentary
- Badawi, Cherine (2004). Footprint Egypt (4th, illustrated ed.). Footprint Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-903471-77-7.
- Bernasek, Lisa; Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology; Burger, Hillel S. (2008). Artistry of the everyday: beauty and craftsmanship in Berber art (Illustrated ed.). Peabody Museum Press, Harvard University. ISBN 9780873654050.
- Drazin, Israel (2009). Maimonides and the Biblical Prophets. Gefen Publishing House Ltd. ISBN 9789652294302.
- Evelyn A. Early (1993). Baladi women of Cairo: playing with an egg and a stone (Illustrated ed.). Lynne Rienner Publishers. ISBN 9781555872687.
- Gomez, Aurelia (1996). Crafts of Many Cultures: 30 Authentic Craft Projects from Around the World. Scholastic Inc. ISBN 9780590491822.
- Ham, Anthony; Bing, Alison (2007). Morocco (8th, illustrated ed.). Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1-74059-974-0.
- M. Th. Houtsma (1993). M. Th. Houtsma (ed.). E.J. Brill's first encyclopedia of Islam, 1913–1936 (Reprint ed.). BRILL. ISBN 9789004097902.
- Lent, J. M.; Bearman, Peri J.; Qureshi, Hakeem-Uddeen (1997). The encyclopaedia of Islam, new edition (2nd ed.). Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-10795-3.
- Lynch, Patricia Ann; Roberts, Jeremy (2010). African Mythology A to Z (2nd, revised ed.). Infobase Publishing. ISBN 9781604134155.
- McGuinness, Justin (2002). Footprint Tunisia Handbook (3rd, illustrated ed.). Footprint Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-903471-28-9.
- Nocke, Alexandra (2009). The place of the Mediterranean in modern Israeli identity (Illustrated ed.). BRILL. ISBN 9789004173248.
- Perennial Books (1970). Studies in comparative religion, Volumes 4–5. University of California.
- Rajab, Jehan S. (1989). Palestinian costume (Illustrated ed.). Kegan Paul. ISBN 978-0-7103-0283-0.
- Schimmel, Annemarie (1994). Deciphering the signs of God: a phenomenological approach to Islam. SUNY Press. ISBN 9780791419823.
- Shadur, Joseph; Shadur, Yehudit (2002). Traditional Jewish papercuts: an inner world of art and symbol (Illustrated ed.). UPNE. ISBN 9781584651659.
- Shinar, Pessah (2004). Modern Islam in the Maghrib. JSAI. ISBN 9789657258026.
- Silver, Alan (2008). Jews, Myth and History: A Critical Exploration of Contemporary Jewish Belief and Its Origins. Troubador Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84876-064-6.
- Sonbol, Amira El Azhary (2005). Beyond the exotic: women's histories in Islamic societies. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815630555.
- Trumbull, Henry Clay (1896). The threshold covenant: or, The beginning of religious rites (2nd ed.). C. Scribner's.
- World Institute for Advanced Phenomenological Research and Learning (Belmont, Estados Unidos) (1991). Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka (ed.). Roman Ingarden's aesthetics in a new key and the independent approaches of others: the performing arts, the fine arts, and literature, Volume 3. Springer. ISBN 9780792310143.
- Steinmetz, Sol (2005). Dictionary of Jewish usage: a guide to the use of Jewish terms. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780742543874.
- Zenner, Walter P. (1988). Persistence and flexibility: anthropological perspectives on the American Jewish experience (Illustrated ed.). SUNY Press. ISBN 9780887067488.
- "Hamsa Hand Symbology: What Is the Hamsa Hand?" (Hamesh, Chamsa, Khamsa). N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.
- Lenhart, Sandy. "Hand of Fatima Meaning - Origin and Variations." Ezine Articles. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.
- "Jewish magic and superstition in Israel". Abc.net.au. 2010-05-22. Retrieved 2013-06-25.
- Nocke, Alexandra (2009). The Place of the Mediterranean in Modern Israeli Identity. pp. 133–134. ISBN 9004173242.
External links
Media related to Khamsa at Wikimedia Commons