Protection Symbols: What Traditions Use and Believe
The protection symbols people use most are the hamsa, the nazar or blue eye bead, the Eye of Horus, Thor’s hammer, the pentacle, the Saint Christopher medal and the rune Algiz. Each belongs to a tradition that believes the symbol keeps harm or bad luck away. This page describes what each tradition uses and believes. Whether a symbol protects is a matter of belief, and no symbol can be promised to keep you safe.
Protection symbols and what traditions believe
The hamsa
An open right hand, often with an eye in the palm, used across the Middle East and North Africa. In Jewish tradition it is called the Hand of Miriam, in Muslim tradition the Hand of Fatima. It hangs in homes and is worn as jewellery, with the belief that it turns away the evil eye.
The nazar
A blue and white glass bead in the shape of an eye, widely used in Turkey, Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. It is pinned to clothes, hung in cars and given to newborns, with the belief that it catches an envious look before it reaches the person.
The Eye of Horus
In ancient Egypt the eye of the falcon god Horus, the wedjat, stood for protection, royal power and good health. It was painted on boats and placed in tombs.
Thor’s hammer
In Norse lands people wore small pendants of Mjölnir, the hammer of the thunder god Thor. Archaeologists have found many of them from the Viking Age, and they are read as a sign of protection and of belonging to the old gods.
The pentacle
A five-pointed star inside a circle. In Wicca and modern paganism it is used as a symbol of protection and of the elements: earth, water, fire, air and spirit.
The Saint Christopher medal
In Catholic tradition, Saint Christopher is the patron saint of travellers. Many people carry his medal on a journey or hang it in the car.
Algiz
A rune shaped like an upright fork or a raised hand. Modern rune readers often see it as a symbol of protection. What it meant in the old runic alphabets is not known for certain.
Why people use protection symbols
For many people a protection symbol gives a worry a place outside themselves. Hanging a hamsa by the door or giving a nazar to a newborn is also a way of saying: I care about this home, this child, this journey. Many of these customs are handed down in families, and their meaning is as much about belonging as about safety.
If you feel unsafe, a symbol is no replacement for help. They do not replace medical, psychological or other professional care, and in danger the right step is to contact the people and services who can act.
Does Sacred Signs have a protection sign?
No. Sacred Signs has no sign made for protection, and we don’t describe any of our signs that way. Our signs are made for reflection and embodiment. If you are looking for something closer to strength and steadiness, our symbols for strength include signs such as Still Power and Inner Strength.
If you want a sign that is yours alone, Astaran draws Individual Embodiment Signs for one person, from your own answers to a few questions. It is €77 and arrives as high-resolution files.
More intentions are on spiritual symbols by intention.
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Read how we write about symbols and belief.