I love this little piece. When Sadie was two -2001 - I made this hand for her papa (aka: uber-spouse) as a Christmas gift. I traced her hand on a piece of sculpy and then trimmed it out and decorated it with dots, a heart and Runes (an ancient Germanic alphabet, used for writing, divination and magick). Then I baked the piece, gave it a sort of tea bath and finished it off with some black paint. I've always loved letters and symbols, so it's natural for me to be drawn to Runes ... it's an added bonus that each letter (symbol) actually represents something. If your curious what's inscribed all over the little hand, start at the top left (thumb), move right through each finger and end at the palm (above, inside, below the heart):
Fehu (F: Domestic cattle, wealth.) Possessions won or earned, earned income, luck. Abundance, financial strength in the present or near future. Sign of hope and plenty, success and happiness.
Wunjo: (W or V: Joy.) Joy, comfort, pleasure. Fellowship, harmony, prosperity. Ecstasy, glory, spiritual reward, but also the possibility of going "over the top".
Uruz: (U: Auroch, a wild ox.) Physical strength and speed, untamed potential. A time of great energy and health. Freedom, energy, action, courage, strength, tenacity, understanding, wisdom.
Ansuz: (A: The As, ancestral god, i.e. Odin.) A revealing message or insight, communication.
Gebo: (G: Gift.) Gifts, both in the sense of sacrifice and of generosity, indicating balance.
Raidho: (R: Wagon or chariot.) Travel, both in physical terms and those of lifestyle direction.
Kenaz: (K: Beacon or torch.) Vision, revelation, knowledge, creativity, inspiration, technical ability.
Eihwaz: (EI: Yew tree.) Strength, reliability, dependability, trustworthiness. Enlightenment, endurance. Defense, protection.
Tiwaz: (T: Tyr, the sky god.) Honor, justice, leadership and authority. Analysis, rationality. Knowing where one's true strengths lie.
Othala: (O: Ancestral property.) Inherited property or possessions, a house, a home. What is truly important to one.
Sowilo: (S: The sun.) Success, goals achieved, honor. The life-force, health.
For the complete definitions, I do recommend doing a search on Runes. These are based on the Elder Futhark. My first stop when searching info on Runes is Runes, Alphabet of Mystery - there are tons of links and no crazy pop-ups.
