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Symbols in traditional jewelry and their meaning

· 2 min read · Jewelry around the world

Six medallions with symbols: spiral, ankh, hand, eye, hook and sun

Many traditional jewels carry symbols that express protection, life, journey or belonging. This guide gathers some of the best known, with their origin and the meaning usually attributed to them.

A reference table #

Symbol Origin Associated meaning
Ankh Ancient Egypt Life
Scarab Ancient Egypt Rebirth and protection
Eye of Horus (udjat) Ancient Egypt Protection and health
Hand of Fatima (khamsa) North Africa and the Middle East Protection against the evil eye
Blue eye (nazar) Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean Protection against the evil eye
Jet higa Spain Protection against the evil eye
Koru Māori (New Zealand) New life, growth and peace
Hei matau Māori (New Zealand) Prosperity and safe travel over water
Sankofa Akan (Ghana) Learning from the past
Gye Nyame Akan (Ghana) The supremacy of God
Naja Navajo (US) Protection
Turquoise US Southwest, Middle East and others Protection, health, sky and water
Jade Mesoamerica and China Life, water and purity
Spondylus (mullu) Andes Water, fertility and offering
Tumi Andes (Peru) Ceremonial knife; cultural symbol of Peru
Mangalsutra India Marriage
Sølje Sámi Its jingling keeps evil spirits away

How to read symbols #

The same symbol can mean different things depending on the community, the period and the context. The hand of Fatima, for example, has readings in Muslim and Jewish traditions and wide popular use. The most respectful approach is to ask the people who made it and to avoid assigning a single meaning.

Materials with meaning #

Some materials, besides their beauty, carry symbolic value in many cultures: jet as protection, amber as a warm stone, red coral as an amulet, mother-of-pearl and pearls tied to water and the moon, and gold and silver tied to the sun and the moon.

See also #

This entry was drafted with the help of AI and is pending review by the author.