More about the Hamsa - What we can't fit on the label

We've been making our Hamsa wall plaque for years.  A number of them decorate and protect our own home, those of our children, other family members and, after 15 years, thousands of homes around the world.

What we do put on the label refers to it simply : This most ancient symbol originates from the earliest Mediterranean cultures.  The Hamsa is used to ward off the evil eye (ayin raah).  Often displayed near a door or window it will protect the bearer or domain.  That's what I can fit onto a 1 x 4 inch label in 9 point font.

Ah. But there's more.  

Hamsa is the Arabic word for the number 5 (the 5 fingers of the hand).  I've had many visitors from Morocco, where it is spelled "Khamsa", tell me that I have misspelled it.  I tell them each time that if I put a K in front of an H in the US it would make the name even more confusing.  It is spelled Hamsa,  Khamsa, Chamsa or Hamesh (Hebrew for 5).  The guttural sound of the the H, Kh or Ch is also quite foreign to most Americans so we just say "Hahm - sa".

The Hamsa has long been thought to bring it's owner happiness, health, strength and prosperity.  Similar to the old western tradition of hanging a horseshoe over a door, it's more an image of folklore rather than religion.  Our design has the eye in the center to deflect or repel the ayin raah or evil eye away from the bearer or domain.  We lived in Greece for a couple of years in the 70's.  Widowed Greek women dressed in black would often pin a tiny blue and white bead to the shirt of my infant son. There and in Turkey the focus is more on the eye than the hand and you will see the blue and white beads representing the eye to protect from ayin raah.  The concept of protection is the same.  As I've done more research on this I see that the "evil eye" is quite often thought of as envy.  The Hamsa with a center eye also protects against the bad luck brought on by the attention and jealousy of others.

There are two prominent Hamsa designs. One, a stylized hand with two symmetrical thumbs (this is our chosen depiction) and the other a more natural hand.  Both may be seen in jewelry, art and architecture with the fingers either pointing down or up.  Known by many names such as : Hand of Destiny, Hand of God.  By some Muslim communities as the Hand of Fatima (daughter of the prophet Mohammed) as a symbol of patience and faith. By some Jewish communities as the Hand of Miriam (sister of Moses). 

Archeological evidence suggests that a downward pointing hand predates both religions and is thought to be associated with Tanit, a supreme deity from Carthage whose hand was used to ward off the evil eye. 

You may have seen a Hamsa as jewelry.  I have visitors show me the Hamsa necklaces that they've brought back from Israel or received from friends that have been traveling in the Middle East.  Many of them say the same thing. "I've had this for years and I've never known what it means.  But I love it".

Traditionally a Hamsa wall plaque is hung inside the home where it would be the first thing you see as you enter.  Many people collect Hamsas and I've discovered that a home can't have too many of them.  We sell quite a few in the fall as children are going off to college.  Also as wonderful housewarming gifts.

The next time you come across one you will be so much more "in the know".  ~ kat

And so the story began...

Jeff and I are often asked how we came to be making art tiles reflecting Christian, Judaic, Buddhist, Islamic and Hindu images.  I've told this story for years from our booth at local farmers markets, arts festivals and now Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle.  It's time to let our on line visitors and customers be part of the story as well.

Jeff was born in Istanbul.  His family were ex-patriots, living mostly overseas.  The short time that he spent in Turkey and the beautiful art that his family collected while there so influenced his early life.  He was drawn to the balance and symmetry of Islamic art and especially to the form of art on tiles.  He has lived all over the world and is interested in art, history and the art of antiquity.

I was born and raised in Hawaii.  My family has lived there since the late 1800's.  Between the two of us we bring an eclectic view of the world to our art.

I managed a small software company.  Jeff worked in shipping as a Customs Broker until he stepped away from his job in search of something more meaningful.  The search was lengthy and unrewarding until we decided to start our own company creating art with the look of antiquity.  Our focus was spiritual art.  That was 16 years ago.  We both stepped away from our "real life" jobs and have been doing this work together ever since. 

Everything was learned from the ground up.  Jeff had the concept and was faced with skeptics saying that we couldn't do what we envisioned - Using cement to cast intricate molds that we had designed and then finish the cast tiles with sophisticated coloring and finishing techniques.  Cement was for garden art in particular and no one believed that we could get the kind of detail that you now see in our work.  It was a process with a steep learning curve.  So much to learn about every aspect of the design work.  Creating originals, making the molds, casting and then the mixing and application of the finishes.  Cement was our chosen medium because of the authentic heft and feel we knew that it would give our tiles.  There are many people who cast but our work is set apart by the detail captured and Jeff's color finishing techniques.

Jeff's vision was always in front of us as it still is as new designs are researched and hand drawn then turned into originals then molds.  We recently found out that the casting medium that we've used for years was discontinued.  Quite honestly we had to sit and just think through what we were going to do.  What was quickly realized is that we love what we do.  We love spiritual art, the look of antiquity that each piece has, the character of a cast tile - we had to find another medium.  We discovered a sturdy polymer plaster that is working well for most of the pieces.  More then a third of our designs have been removed from our web site because they just didn't translate to the new medium.  But - they will be redesigned.  New originals will be made, then new molds and the casting will continue.

 We have been able to continue with the core of our designs - The World Set (Christian, Judaic, Buddhist, Islamic and Hindu images) - The Buddhist Wheel Set - The Garden of Bismillah - and a favorite - The Hamsa.  In our opinion they are more beautiful than ever.

Come visit us sometime - Online at Sumon Company ~ Symbols in Art or at our Daystall Shop at Pike Place Market in Seattle

~ Kat