# Symbols in traditional jewelry and their meaning

> A guide to symbols in world jewelry: ankh, scarab, khamsa, koru, hei matau, sankofa, turquoise and jade, with their origin and associated meaning.

- Source: https://www.711grados.com/en/symbols-in-traditional-jewelry/
- Language: en
- Note: This entry was drafted with the help of AI and is pending review by the author.
- Published: 2026-06-27
- Updated: 2026-06-27
- Translation (es): https://www.711grados.com/es/simbolos-joyeria-tradicional/
- Author: Sandra Sánchez
- Site: 711 Grados (https://www.711grados.com/)

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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](https://www.711grados.com/en/jet/) as protection, [amber](https://www.711grados.com/en/amber/) as a warm stone, red [coral](https://www.711grados.com/en/coral/) as an amulet, [mother-of-pearl and pearls](https://www.711grados.com/en/pearls/) tied to water and the moon, and [gold](https://www.711grados.com/en/gold/) and [silver](https://www.711grados.com/en/silver/) tied to the sun and the moon.

## See also

- [How to buy artisan and Indigenous jewelry ethically](https://www.711grados.com/en/buying-artisan-jewelry-ethically/)
- [Jet](https://www.711grados.com/en/jet/)