Collection: Hamsa Hand

What Is a Hamsa Hand?

A hamsa is an open right hand, usually shown with the fingers pressed together, that serves as an amulet of protection and blessing. The name comes from the Arabic word khamsa, meaning five, for the five fingers; in Hebrew it is sometimes called hamesh. The hamsa amulet is older than both Judaism and Islam, with roots in the ancient Middle East and North Africa, and today it hangs in Jewish, Muslim, and Christian homes from Morocco to Israel to Lebanon.

Muslim families often call it the Hand of Fatima, after Fatima al-Zahra, daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. Jewish families often call it the Hand of Miriam, after the sister of Moses and Aaron. It is a shared, living symbol, and the pieces here carry that history even when they are hung simply because they are beautiful.

How Is the Hamsa Used for Protection?

The hamsa is used for protection by placing it where harm might enter: by the front door, over a crib, in a car, or on the body. Many hamsas have an eye in the palm, which joins the hand to the nazar charm against the evil eye. Some are decorated with fish, a traditional sign of luck, or with blessings written in Hebrew or Arabic. Our guide to six protection symbols includes the hamsa alongside other signs people have kept close for centuries.

What You Will Find in This Collection

Wall hangings and sun catchers. A 6 inch hamsa hand set with crystals, a 10 inch hanging that combines the evil eye, the hamsa, and elephants, and a 16 inch celestial crescent sun catcher with a hamsa are all made for doorways and windows.

Bracelets. Two 8mm clear quartz and evil eye bracelets carry the hand, one as a hamsa bead and one as a dangling Hand of Fatima charm.

Pocket pieces. A small Fatima hand amulet and a pewter hamsa pocket stone fit in a wallet, a pouch, or the palm of your own hand.

A broom and a drum. The 9 inch evil eye and Fatima hand broom is a small decorative besom for hanging by the door. The 8 inch steel tongue drum is decorated with a Fatima hand and evil eye, and you play it by tapping the tongues with your fingers or mallets.

Related Collections

Because the hand and the eye are so often paired, our evil eye protection collection holds many more nazar pieces. You might also browse amulets and talismans from other traditions, decorative brooms and besoms for the doorway, and the full protection collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the hamsa hand mean?
The hamsa hand means protection and blessing. It is hung or worn to turn away the evil eye and to invite good fortune, and many families treat it as a sign of divine care over the home.

Should the hamsa face up or down?
Both ways are traditional. Many people read an upward hamsa as a shield against harm and the evil eye, and a downward hamsa as an open hand welcoming blessings and abundance. Choose the one that fits what you want the hand to do.

What is the difference between the Hand of Fatima and the Hand of Miriam?
They are the same symbol with two names. Muslim families call it the Hand of Fatima after the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, and Jewish families call it the Hand of Miriam after the sister of Moses and Aaron.

Can anyone wear a hamsa?
Yes, anyone can wear a hamsa. It is a living symbol in Jewish and Muslim homes, so wear it with the respect you would give any blessing someone else holds dear.

Where should I hang a hamsa in my home?
The traditional spot for a hamsa is near the front door or an entryway, where it greets everyone who comes in. Nurseries, cars, and windows are also common places.

Why does the hamsa often have an eye in the palm?
The eye in the palm is a nazar, the charm against the evil eye. Putting the two together doubles the protection, and it is one of the most common hamsa designs you will see.