The Hand in Morocco: Hamsa, Art, Symbol and Tradition

Going beyond primitive superstitions and the many expressions of identity, this collection offers the first artistic and aesthetic anthology regarding representations of the hand and of the esoteric marks that past civilizations have left on these representations. The featured items originate from all of Morocco’s cultural spheres: jewels forged from fine metal, printed matter, lamps, ex-votos, clothes, weaves, pieces of embroidery, manuscripts, and the numerous functional objects used in everyday life as well as on special occasions. Taking a sensitive look at Muslim and Jewish craftsmen and goldsmiths, this guide demonstrates how, through the creation of these objects, they have invented an identity which still nurtures Moroccan arts today.