Like many well-known spiritual symbols, the exact origin story of the hamsa isn’t black-and-white and can differ depending on culture, lineage, and religion. We do know, however, that the hand has been symbolically used in artwork and religion for generations, with one tomb at Khirbet el-Qom showing a hamsa-like hand dating back to the 8th century BCE.
“The origins of the hamsa are uncertain, but it has been said to be utilized by various cultures ranging from the ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations to the various cultural groups of the Semetic people,” Hayes tells mindbodygreen. Across these groups, Hayes says the hamsa’s meaning has been notably consistent in its representation of divinity, mysticism, and its ability to protect against harm.
The Hand of Venus was also believed to boost fertility and protect against the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth in the ancient world, according to associate professor of Islamic history, law, and society at Georgetown University, Amira El Azhary Sonbol Ph.D.
As she writes in her book Beyond the Exotic: Women’s Histories in Islamic Societies, “A survey of ancient and modern amulets throughout the world surprisingly concludes that the image of the open right hand was a universally recognized and employed sign of protection, from the early Mesopotamian amulets to the Qāt Ištar and the Qāt Inana, the mano Pantea, the right hand of the Buddha in the mudra of teaching or protection, and the Hand-of-Faitma.”
Maggie Wilson, a spirituality expert and author of the forthcoming book Metaphysical AF from Union Square, tells mindbodygreen that the hamsa has been related to Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions. For example, the hamsa is sometimes known as the Hand of Fatima, referring to the daughter of the Prophet Mohammed (the founder of Islam), and the Hand of Miriam (Moses’ sister), Wilson says. “Walter Hildburgh, who was an art historian, suggested that the hamsa had Christian roots, claiming it could have been influenced by Mary,” she adds.
According to a 2016 report on hamsa interpretation across the globe, the symbol has been referred to by numerous names including “hamsa,” “khamsa,” “hamsa hand,” “hamesh,” “hamesh hand,” and “chamsa.” The report notes that “khamsa” is Arabic for “five” and “hamesh” also means “five” in Hebrew—a connection that may relate to the five fingers on a hand, the five pillars of Islam, the five books of the Torah in Judaism, or even the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which denotes one of God’s holy names.