Hamsa

[5][6] Depicting the open hand, an image recognized and used as a sign of protection in many times throughout history, the hamsa has been traditionally believed to provide defense against the evil eye.

[citation needed] The image of the open right hand is also seen in Carthage[7] (modern-day Tunisia) and ancient North Africa and in Phoenician colonies in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal).

[6] Another theory traces the origins of the hamsa to Carthage or Phoenicia where the hand (or in some cases vulva) of the supreme deity Tanit was used to ward off the evil eye.

this motive was the most important sign of apotropaic magic in the Islamic world, though many modern representations continue to show an obvious origin from sex symbolism.

Its use by Ashkenazi Jewish communities from this period is well-known, and evidence has also emerged of the hamsa being used by Jews from medieval Spain, often associated with "sympathetic magic".

[15] Historians such as Shalom Sabar believe that after the Jewish expulsion from Spain in 1492, exiled Jews likely used the hamsa as protection in the foreign lands they were forced to relocate to, however this assumption has been difficult to prove.

[15] According to Sabar, the hamsa has also been used later by Jews in Europe "as a distinctive sign of the priesthood, especially when they wished to show that a person was of priestly descent..."[15] The khamsa holds recognition as a bearer of good fortune among Christians in the region as well.

[24] Raising one's right hand with the palm showing and the fingers slightly apart is part of this curse meant "to blind the aggressor".

[27] 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.

[19] 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.

[29] God's hand from heaven would lead the Jewish people out of struggle, and the Jews quickly made a connection with the hamsa and their culture.

[31] During modernization across the Middle East, the hamsa symbol became less prominent in some areas due to its perceived incompatibility with secular ideals.

[34] Throughout various celebrations across the region, such as festivals emphasizing fertility and prosperity, the number "5" is often highlighted, reflecting its association with the hamsa amulet.

From Morocco to Turkey, the hamsa is a prevalent symbol of protection from misfortune and is widely incorporated into jewelry, home decor, and art.