Hamsa Symbol- History And Meaning
The palm-shaped symbol we see mostly in jewelry and wall hangings is called the hamsa. Popularly used as an amulet in the Middle East and Northwest Africa, the hamsa is depicted as an open right hand and said to ward off the evil eye.
Jews were speculated to be among the first to employ the hamsa symbol as an amulet due to their beliefs about the evil eye or the “curse” cast by a malevolent gaze given to an unsuspecting victim.
Wearing a hamsa jewelry or hanging the hamsa symbol in one’s home is believed to protect one from harm, danger, and negative energies. The symbol instead attracts positive energies, good health, and good fortune.
If you want to learn more about the Hamsa symbol, read on to find out the meaning, history, and significance of this Jewish symbol.
Hamsa Symbol- History And Meaning
If you want to learn more about the Hamsa symbol, read on to find out the meaning, history, and significance of this Jewish symbol.
Hamsa Symbol History
The hamsa is a very old symbol, dating back to some 1,800 years. With that being said, this symbol predates all the major religions.
Early use of the hamsa symbol has been traced to Mesopotamia and Carthage – modern-day Iraq and modern-day Tunisia, respectively – as well as ancient Morocco.
This symbol with the open right hand is featured in Mesopotamian artifacts, particularly in the amulets of the goddess Inanna or Ishtar, the Mesopotamian deity associated with sex, beauty, and love, as well as political power, justice, and war.
Scholars believe that the hamsa symbol was made by the Phoenicians who used it as an amulet. From there, the belief continued to be considered a symbol of protection from bad things, most particularly the “evil eye.”
The hamsa symbol has been variously interpreted as a Jewish, Christian, and Islamic symbol. It is also said to be a pagan fertility symbol as seen on cave paintings.
The Hamsa Symbol
The hamsa symbol bears different meanings to different cultures. However, the common belief is that it is a symbol of protection which also bestows good health, happiness, and good fortune to its owner.
In the Islamic tradition, this symbol is referred to as the Fatima Hand, named after the daughter of the Islamic prophet Mohammed.
In other cultures, symbols of divine protection based around this open-hand symbol include the Hand of Mary, the Hand of Miriam, and the Hand of Venus or Aphrodite.
They were employed as protection for women against the evil eye. The symbols were also said to enhance fertility and lactation, healthy pregnancies, and good health in general.
The hamsa is often decorated with an eye which represents that it sees everything and watches out for the hamsa wearer or owner, protecting them against everything evil.
Hamsa Symbol Meaning
The hamsa is also called khamsah, an Arabic word for “five.” It also means “the five fingers of the hand.” Its Hebrew equivalent is “hamesh.”
The number 5 has sacred connotations in Judaism, symbolizing one of God’s names as well as the Torah’s five holy books.
Other names given to this open-hand symbol includes the Fatima Hand, the hand of Mary, the Hand of Miriam, and the Hand of the Goddess or the Hand of Venus/Aphrodite.
The hamsa is generally believed to be a symbol of protection against the evil eye but serves as a good luck symbol for health, wealth, and happiness as well.
