Oxidised sterling silver filigree, light or dark blue, evil eye, hand of Fatima pendant. Length 51mm, width 25mm.

Evil eyes are said to protect the wearer from evil or bad fortune. They are supposedly more powerful when received as a gift! The Arabic name for the hamsa (or khamsa) is the hand of Fatima, commemorating Fatima Zahra, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. Hamsa hands often contain an eye symbol. Depictions of the hand, the eye, or the number five in Arabic (and Berber) tradition is related to warding off the evil eye, as exemplified in the saying khamsa fi ainek ("five [fingers] in your eye").