This is one of the entrances to the famed palace complex of the Alhambra, one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. Specifically, this area is known as the “Gate of Justice” or “Esplanade’s Gate”, built by the Sultan Yūsuf I of Granada in 1348. It is also one of the most famous early documented depictions of the Hand of Fatima, aka the Khamsa/Hamsa hand, which you can see on the second image.
The Hand of Fatima is a sign that has been recognized in Jewish tradition (and Christian, and pre-Abrahamic traditions) as well as Islamic tradition, but obviously in this 14th-century building the artisans were referring to the Hand of Fatima in the Islamic culture. Fatima was the only surviving child of Muhammad, and the symbol of her hand came to mean protection against harm (specifically malice due to “the evil eye”). Interpretations of the five fingers has been that they refer to the Five Pillars of Islam (“khamsa” is Arabic for “five”, and the Five Pillars refer to faith, prayer, pilgrimage, fasting, and charity).
Today the Hamsa symbol appears in popular culture and appeals across a wide variety of spiritual beliefs.
Source(s): @mykewidhlearning.com, “What is a Hamsa”, Menachem Wecker. Wikipedia. “The Jerusalem Fund,” Dagmar Painter, “Hand Iconography in Islamic and Other Cultures” April 23, 2021. My images.
