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Hand of Fatima

This necklace has its origins in the Arab world. The two countries represented in it are Syria and Egypt with all their wonderful history and, of course, teeming bazaars that still today function much as they did several hundred years ago.



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The large silver filigree beads are from the medieval trading town of Aleppo, Syria. Deep in the heart of the old covered bazaar in the city center are several silver bead sellers who sit in shops not much larger than a telephone booth. The shops feature small drawers filled with silver beads of Syrian manufacture in all sizes and styles. The vendors will readily admit to the buyer that the beads are not sterling, but they are at least 60% silver. Syrian wholesalers purchase them to include in prayer bead strings, traditionally-styled necklaces, and, interestingly enough, key chains.

The lovely turquoise and blue glass beads originate from a family-run business located just on the outskirts of the wonderful old city bazaar of Damascus, Syria. The family makes glass beads for lamps, curtains, silverware, and a wide variety of other household items. When the artist asked to purchase a goodly amount of just the beads, the family responded with warm Syrian hospitality – the beads were a gift, as many of them as the artist could carry away in a backpack.



The center piece is the ever-popular Hand of Fatima named to commemorate Mohammed’s daughter Fatima Zahra. Throughout the Middle East, this image, whether in wood, clay, silver, gold, or any other material, is recognized as a form of protection against the evil eye. The evil eye -- a centuries-old belief spanning many different cultures – is a look of envy from an acquaintance, friend, neighbor, relative, or even a complete stranger that is believed to generate bad luck for the person to whom it is directed. The hand depicted is crafted from sterling silver and is an open right hand. The artist purchased it ten years ago in the middle of the Khan el Khalili bazaar in Cairo in a little unmarked shop. This shop was located up a creaky set of old stairs that opened up into a room completely packed with Egyptian silver sold only by weight to wholesalers – and lost tourists! This shop still exists but with the recent events in Egypt has, along with the rest of the bazaars, suffered a severe downturn in business.