MYSTERY CENTRES - HANDS - SYMBOLS - INITIATION Although there is no doubt that these richly symbolic hands were used for magical purposes, precisely to what use they were put is in dispute. Perhaps they were used as amulets, or 'power-centres', since almost all the symbols appearing on them relate to the ancient gods, or to the various Mystery Religions that were so popular in pre-Christian times. It is sometimes claimed that they are ex voto objects, but Elworthy has shown this not to be the case. The drawings are from Elworthy, Horns of Honour and Other Studies in the By-Ways of Archa
MYSTERY CENTRES - HANDS - SYMBOLS - INITIATION Although there is no doubt that these richly symbolic hands were used for magical purposes, precisely to what use they were put is in dispute. Perhaps they were used as amulets, or 'power-centres', since almost all the symbols appearing on them relate to the ancient gods, or to the various Mystery Religions that were so popular in pre-Christian times. It is sometimes claimed that they are ex voto objects, but Elworthy has shown this not to be the case. The drawings are from Elworthy, Horns of Honour and Other Studies in the By-Ways of Archaeology,1900. The hands are of metal - usually of bronze - and stand about 6 inches high. The gesture made by the hand is of the kind which we would now regard as being one of benediction, with the small finger and ring finger pent over: the indications are that this was one of the gestures used in the ancient mysteries. In the Hindu mudras it is the gesture of Vishnu. The plethora of symbols found on these hands is sufficiently intriguing to make these ritual objects among the most puzzling and mysterious to have survived from the ancient world. [Top pair] This example was found in 1894, during the Pompeii excavations, and is now in the Naples Museum. It is likely that at one time an eagle of Jupiter stood on the two fingers, for the thunderbolt and talons are still visible. The pine-cone, mounted on the thumb, was sacred both to Serapis and Cybele (at whose processionals, the pine-cone was carried in reverence). In ancient Chaldea, it was believed that the Tree of Knowledge was a pine-tree. The distinctive winged caduceus, which dominates the back of the hand is a symbol of Mercury. In an arch at the base of the hand is a woman, lying down, with a child: both are overlooked by a Cock, which is the bird of Mercury, Athena and Mars Alongside the caduceus is a fig tree, in which is a serpent: both are symbols from the ancient initiation mysteries. The encircled
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Keywords: -, archival, archive, art, artistic, artwork, book, centres, doubt, esoterica, hands, historic, historical, history, illustration, image, initiation, mono, mystery, paranormal, richly, symbolic, symbols
