THE HAND A SYMBOL OF POWER.
In Parkhurst’s Hebrew Lexicon we have the following remarks on the Hand as an emblem of strength and power. “The hand was used by the Jews, as a trophy or monument of victory, and placed on the top of a pillar. Thus Saul, after smiting the Amalekites, in the pride of his heart erected to or for himself (not for Jehovah) a hand, 1 Samuelxv.12. And David smote Hadadezer, king of Zobah, when he was going to erect his hand or trophy, by the river Euphrates, 2Sam.viii.3, and 1 Chronicles,xviii.3.—And this appears to be the most ancient use of these memorial hands; whence Absalom seems to have taken the hint of erecting one, merely to keep hisname in remembrance, 2Sam.xviii.18, where it may be observed that this monument is expressly called not only ahand, buta pillar, which shews that the hand was wont to be put on a pillar.
“Neibuhr (Voyage in Arabia, tom. 2.p.211. French edition) speaking of Ali’s mosque at Mesched Ali, says, that ‘at the top of the dome’ where one generally sees on the Turkish mosques a crescent, or only a pole, there is herea hand stretched out, to represent that of Ali.” And another writer informs us, that at the Alhambra, or red palace of the Moorish kings in Granada, “on the key-stone of the outward arch [of the present principal entrance] is sculptured the figure of anarm, the symbol of strength and dominion.”
“It may not be amiss to observe, that to this day in the East Indies the picture of ahandis the emblem of power or authority. Thus I am assured, says Parkhurst, by a gentleman of undoubted veracity, who resided many years on the coast of Coromandel, that when the Nabob of Arcot, who in his time was governor offive provinces, appeared on public occasions, several small flags, with eacha handpainted upon them, and one of a large size withfive hands, were solemnly carried before him.”
The hand was used as an ensign of royalty by the kings of France and England. In Sandford’sGenealogical History, there is the following note on the counter-seal of king Edward the third: “In the margin of this counter-seal, near the point of the king’s sword, is represented thehand of justice, being an ensign of royalty peculiar only to the kings of France, for though they in common with other princes carry in their right hand a sceptre of gold, yet in the other they bear thehand of justice, being a short rod, and having on the top of it aleft hand, wide open, made of ivory, on account of the elephant being the only quadruped observable for his devotion, love of his governors, and for his equity. The left hand it is said, is preferred to the right for this purpose, because not being employed in working so many wicked actions as the right, it became more proper than the other to represent the symbol of justice. This hand is also placed in the counter-seals of his successors Richard the second, and Henry the fourth; king Henry the fifth omitted it in his seal, and conquering France both placed that crown on the head, and the French sceptre andhand of justicein the hands of his son, king Henry the sixth.”
Queen Elizabeth used the hand as one of her mint marks.