Though most of us have never heard of the hand of glory, it has been a part of human culture for centuries.
The hand of glory is found in fictional stories about witches and magic, but it actually dates back to the 14th century.
These days, most people associate the hand with Halloween because it is believed that witches would light these waxen hands on fire to ward off evil spirits. But what exactly is this odd object?
What is a Hand of Glory?
A hand of glory is a severed human hand that has been pickled in salt or alcohol then dried out, which makes it appear blackened. A candle was then inserted into the palm to produce an eerie glow.
According to The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology (Rossell Hope Robbins),
“The sorcerer wrapped the hand of a hanged man in a piece of shroud, drew it tight to squeeze out any remaining blood, and pickled the hand in an earthenware jar with salt, saltpeter, and long peppers. After two weeks, the hand was removed and exposed to the sun until parched, or dried in an oven with vervain and fern.”
This was used as a signal for thieves during the time when there were no street lights, though today you’re unlikely to see one outside on Halloween night. The first recorded instance of this superstition can be traced back to 1692.
How Does It Work?
The hand of glory was used as a form of protection for thieves.
One superstition held that the hand has to be stolen from a graveyard at night. It would then be dried out over a fire before being inserted into the palm of a glove made from 100% wool. The candle would be lit and the light could only be extinguished by blowing it out – this meant that no thief could find themselves in trouble with the law.
Sir James Frazer (The Golden Bough) added:
“If a candle made of the fat of a malefactor who had also died on the gallows was lighted and placed in the Hand of Glory as in a candlestick, it rendered motionless all persons to whom it was presented; they could not stir a finger any more than if they were dead.”
One final note: if you’re interested in the history of this piece, don’t go digging around graveyards or trying to steal one yourself. Supposedly, those who do will suffer bad luck and misfortune because their hands will swell up and they’ll become paralyzed within just three days!
Why Do People Think It Wards Off Evil Spirits?
The original purpose of the hand was to ward off evil spirits or thieves, but the meaning has changed over the years.
In 1692, a group of burglars broke into a house in Norfolk, England. To protect themselves from being discovered by any stray people, they lit their hands with the hand of glory. This tactic proved successful for them because no one else came across them during their burglary.
The burglars were never caught because they didn’t leave fingerprints on anything they touched. The authorities interrogated everyone who lived in the house, but couldn’t find any leads. They finally gave up and guessed that it must have been someone in the household who committed the crime.
This is when people began to associate the hand with protection from evil spirits and witches because these are typically what would have been considered “evil spirits” at that time period.
Is the Hand of Glory Still Used in Today’s Society?
We can’t definitively say that the hand of glory is still used today, as it would require someone actually owning one. And if they did own one, they probably wouldn’t admit to it since there’s a bit of bad blood surrounding the item.
In the 18th century, those who held on to their beliefs in this superstition were often executed as witches and sorcerers.
According to a newspaper article published in 1928:
“A few generations ago this superstition was very prevalent. As late as 1853 cases in which the hand of glory figures were before the courts of the British Isles and there are many old criminal cases on record in which it played a part. As not so long ago the hand of glory was admissible as legal evidence it is not strange that it should linger today in modern folk lore. It is a magic pertaining to thieves and midnight marauders.” [Source: The Dickenson County herald. (Clintwood, Va.), 19 April 1928.]
Even though we don’t know for sure whether the hand of glory is still used today, we can say that it has been a part of human culture for centuries and likely will continue to be for years to come.
Conclusion
A hand of glory is an item that was historically used for its magical properties. It is not typically seen in modern times, but there are still occultists who enjoy the ritual. It is an interesting piece of history that few people know about!
