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Chain of Hamsa, Hamsha to combine or separate for your projects etsyChai Team, Team ESST

Chain of Hamsa, Hamsha to combine or separate for your projects etsyChai Team, Team ESST

Description

These little hands not only look cool, but have major significance for both Jews and Muslims. From Wikipedia:

"The Hamsa (Arabic: Khamsa, literally "five", Hebrew: Khamsa) is a symbol used in amulets, charms and jewelry to protect against the "evil eye."

An alternative Islamic name for this charm is the Hand of Fatima or Eye of Fatima, in reference to Fatima Zahra, the daughter of Muhammad. An alternative Jewish name is the Hand of Miriam, in reference to Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. It is a kind of "protecting hand" or "hand of G-d".

Some associate the significance of the five fingers to the five books of the Torah for Jews, the Five Pillars of Islam for Sunnis, or the five People of the Cloak for Shi'ites. This symbolism may have evolved at a later stage, in view of the fact that archaeological evidence suggests the hamsa predates both religions.

In recent years some activists for Middle East peace have chosen to wear the hamsa as a symbol of the similarities of origins and tradition between the Islamic and Jewish faiths. The fingers can point up or down."

These little hands, about 20 mm long, in addition to carrying that heavy load of symbolism, are connected with jump rings, making it possible to add charms for a bracelet, separate them for earrings, or even sew a set to a neckline or cuff, as well as using them for the more obvious belt. You are buying ten connected hamsa, pretty close to 10" or 25cm--plenty for a bracelet and 2 earrings.
If you need more, convo before buying to make sure I have the length you want left, and I'll set up a custom listing and send it connected.

I hope you’ll enjoy using these as much as I do, and that using and wearing them will bring peace and protection.

Thanks for visiting Findings. We hope you’ve found exactly what you need to finish a project or inspire a new one. Come back soon—new items are added often. You may also want to cruise on over to our original etsy store, The Creative Block, at http://www.siragwatkins.etsy.com to see some of these things in use as well as some of Leslie’s other original work.

Added on Oct 12, 2009