| Accession Number | REL/06285 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Medallion |
| Physical description | Brass |
| Location | Main Bld: First World War Gallery: Sinai Palestine 1918: Semakh |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Ottoman Empire: Turkey |
| Date made | Unknown |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Turkish good luck medallion
Description
Brass medallion in the shape of a hand, for attachment to a chain. One side is heavily decorated with an arabesque pattern. The other side is impressed with verses from the Koran in Arabic script praising the Holy Wars. Also impressed is the sentence, 'this is to help guard you from the unfaithful enslavers, the British'.
History / Summary
This Turkish good luck medallion in the shape of a hand is the Hamsa (meaning five). The Hamsa, (also known as the 'Hand of Fatima' - after the Prophet Mohammad's daughter for Muslims, or the 'Hand of Miriam' for the Jews) is used as a good luck symbol by some in Islamic countries. Each finger on the hand represents an attribute - faith, prayer, pilgrimage, charity and fasting.