khamsa
Berber single tradition · 1
The khamsa is an amulet that was brought to al-Andalūs by the Berbers. It was later taken back to North Africa by the expelled Muslim and Jewish population, who introduced different motifs and techniques. In al-Andalūs, the use of the hamsa as amulet is well-documented from the thirteenth century onwards.
When
- First attested
- 1200 CE
- Attested period
- 1200 – 1554
- Historical notes
- Use well-documented from the 13th century onwards in al-Andalus. Banned as Islamic symbol in 1526 and 1554.
Sources
wikipedia (1)
Source passages
“According to von Kemnitz, "the Berbers brought the khamsa to al-Andalūs. Later, the expelled Muslim and Jewish population took it back to North Africa, introducing different motifs and techniques." Within the Islamic world, historical use of the amulet is concentrated in the western Muslim world (Maghreb; historically al-Andalus), while attestations in the eastern”
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