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ID: 300263479
Page Link: http://vocab.getty.edu/page/aat/300263479

 

Record Type: concept
khamsa (<figure- and animal-derived motifs>, motifs, ... Design Elements (hierarchy name))

 

Note: Middle Eastern and North African motif in the form of a stylized handprint with an eye in the center, generally associated with good health and warding off evil. The so-called "hand" is generally symmetrical with two small "thumbs" on each side rather than a little finger on one side. The motif is most often seen in modern times in Jewish and Islamic jewelry and decorations at doors, but it pre-dates both Islam and Judaism. It may have developed from a symbol for a vagina, referring to the Punic goddess, Tanit, influenced by the palmette motif and joined with the Ancient Egyptian eye of Horus motif.
 
Terms:
khamsa (preferred,C,U,English-P,D,L,U)  ............ meaning "five fold" in Arabic
khamsa (Arabic (transliterated)-P,D,U,U)
khamsa (Spanish,AD,U,U)
khamsa (Dutch-P,D,U,U)
khamsas (C,U,English,AD,U,U)
hamsa (C,U,English,AD,SN)  ............ meaning "five" in Hebrew
hamsa (hand) (Hebrew (transliterated),UF,U,U)
khomsa (C,U,English,UF,U,U)
xomsa (C,U,English,UF,U,U)
chamesh (C,U,English,UF,U,U)
hamesh (C,U,English,UF,U,U)
hand of Fatima (C,U,English,UF,U,U)  ............ Islamic tradition, referring to a daughter of Muhammed
hand of Miriam (C,U,English,UF,U,U)  ............ Jewish tradition, referring to a sister of Moses
hand of Fatimah (C,U,English,UF,U,U)
hand amulet (C,U,English,UF,SN)
main de Fatima (C,U,French-P,D,U,U)
Hand der Fatima (C,U,German-P,D,U,U)
חמסא (C,U,Hebrew,D,N)
יד חמש'ה (C,U,Hebrew,UF,N)
mano di Fatima (C,U,Italian-P,D,U,U)
mani di Fatima (C,U,Italian,AD,U,U)
mano de Fátima (C,U,Spanish-P,D,U,U)

Facet/Hierarchy Code:  D.DG

Hierarchical Position:

Hierarchy of Physical Attributes Facet
Physical Attributes Facet
Hierarchy of Design Elements (hierarchy name)
.... Design Elements (hierarchy name) (G)
Hierarchy of design elements (attributes)
........ design elements (attributes) (G)
Hierarchy of motifs
............ motifs (G)
Hierarchy of <figure- and animal-derived motifs>
................ <figure- and animal-derived motifs> (G)
Hierarchy of khamsa
.................... khamsa (G)

Additional Notes:
Dutch ..... Motief afkomstig uit het Midden-Oosten en Noord-Afrika in de vorm van een gestileerde handafdruk met een oog in het midden. De khamsa wordt doorgaans in verband gebracht met goede gezondheid en het afweren van het kwaad. De 'hand' is meestal symmetrisch, met twee kleine 'duimen' aan iedere zijde, in plaats van een pink aan de ene kant. Het motief wordt tegenwoordig vooral aangetroffen in joodse en islamitische sieraden en als deurdecoratie, maar is ouder dan de islam of zelfs het jodendom. Het motief heeft zich mogelijk ontwikkeld uit het symbool voor de vagina, als verwijzing naar de Punische godin Tanit, waarna het is beïnvloed door het palmettenmotief en is gecombineerd met het Oudegyptische motief van het Oog van Horus. 
Spanish ..... Adorno del Medio Oriente y norteafricano en forma de mano estilizada estilizado con un ojo en el centro, generalmente asociado con buena salud y para alejar del mal. "La mano" es generalmente simétrica con dos pequeños "pulgares" sobre cada lado más bien que un meñique sobre un lado. Este adorno considerado muy común en tiempos modernos de la joyería Judía y Musulmana y como decoración en las puertas, pero en una fecha anterior el Islam y judaísmo. Esto puede haberse convertido de un símbolo para una vagina, refiriéndose a la diosa púnica, Tanit influenciado por el adorno del palmete y unido con el ojo egipcio antiguo del adorno de Horus. 

Sources and Contributors:
חמסא............  [IMJ]
...........  Israel Museum Jerusalem contribution (n.d.)
יד חמש'ה............  [IMJ]
.................  Israel Museum Jerusalem contribution (n.d.)
chamesh............  [VP]
.................  Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
hamesh............  [VP]
.................  Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
hamsa ()............  [IMJ Preferred, VP]
.................  Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
.................  Israel Museum Jerusalem contribution (n.d.)
hand amulet............  [IMJ]
.......................  Israel Museum Jerusalem contribution (n.d.)
Hand der Fatima............  [VP]
.............................  Kalter, Schmuck aus Nordafrika (1976) 66
hand of Fatima............  [VP]
.............................  Contributed as a candidate term Candidate term -- AFRART -- 28 December 1998
.............................  Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-) "Sacred rites and ceremonies: amulets and talesmans." Accessed 12/28/98
.............................  Loughran, Jewelry Traditions of the Tuareg (1989) 35
.............................  Symbols.com (1998) illustration, Group 20:23. Accessed 12/28/98
hand of Fatimah............  [VP]
.............................  Columbia University [online] (2006-) Accessed 1 March 2006
hand of Miriam............  [VP]
.............................  Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
khamsa............  [CDBP-SNPC, RKD, AAT-Ned Preferred, VP Preferred]
.................  AAT-Ned (1994-)
.................  Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-) "Islamic art: Subject matter" and ""Islamic art: North Africa," accessed 1 May 2006
.................  Grove Art Online (2003-2008) "Amulet: Symbolism in world religions," accessed 1 May 2006
.................  Hillenbrand, Islamic Art and Architecture (1999)
.................  Julivert, El Sahara: Tierras, pueblos y culturas (2003) 317-319
.................  Symbols.com (1998) illustration, Group 20:23. Accessed 12/28/98
khamsas............  [VP]
.................  Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
khomsa............  [VP]
.................  Tunisia (1990) illustration, 25
main de Fatima............  [VP]
.............................  Tunisia (1990) illustration, 25
mani di Fatima............  [VP]
.............................  STMGB 45
mano de Fátima............  [CDBP-SNPC Preferred]
.............................  Fatás y Borrás, Diccionario de términos de Arte y elementos de Arqueología, Heráldica y Numismática (1997) 156
.............................  Julivert, El Sahara: Tierras, pueblos y culturas (2003) 317-319
mano di Fatima............  [VP]
.............................  Getty Vocabulary Program rules
xomsa............  [VP]
..............  Symbols.com (1998) illustration, Group 20:23. Accessed 12/28/98
 
Subject: .....  [CDBP-SNPC, IMJ, RKD, AAT-Ned, VP]
............  AAT-Ned (1994-)
............  Israel Museum Jerusalem contribution (n.d.)
 
Note:
English .......... [VP]
.......... Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
Dutch .......... [RKD, AAT-Ned]
.......... AAT-Ned (1994-)
Spanish .......... [CDBP-SNPC]
.......... TAA database (2000-)

 

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