|  | Roman Glass Hamsa, Hand of Fatima Necklace (Israel)
The rare shards of Roman glass set in Angie Olami jewelry are 2,000 years old and have been unearthed by archaeologists in Israel on ancient city cites that were once part of the Roman empire. The iridescent colors have evolved gradually over the centuries as part of the glass’s chemical reaction to the sun, water and earth in which it was buried. Today it is necessary to keep the glass dry, as water or other liquids may alter or impair the shimmering patina. The designs for the settings are inspired by artifacts discovered on archaeological digs in Israel. All of Angie Olami’s Roman glass jewelry is hand cut from different fragments of a variety of glass items which makes each piece truly one of a kind.
The hamsa (Arabic) or hamesh (Hebrew), also known as the Hand of Fatima (in reference to the daughter of Mohammed), is a very old and still popular apotropaic amulet for protection from the evil eye. In fact some designs incorporate an eye in the palm of the hand. The words hamsa and hamesh mean five, referring to the number of digits on the hand. The number 5 is also considered to have a magical power and to bring good luck. Hamsas are traditionally hung near a door or window to keep out evil spirits, or around the neck.
| | |
|  | |
