Shaking Hands

In the time of the pandemic we had forgotten about shaking hands to greet each other. It seems this custom of shaking hands is not a fashion of our days but a tradition that has existed for many years.

This is a relief of the 9th century BCE, in which the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III is shaking hands with a dignitary of Babylon, confirming a peace treaty. The pandemic also taught us that many illnesses could pass from one hand to another. Likewise embracing and kissing, which like shaking hands symbolize friendship, affection and assurance — these acts too can pass illnesses from one person to another. The pandemic made us touch with our fists or our elbows.

In this relief of the Commagenes at Arsameia, near Adıyaman, we see King Antiochus shaking hands with the famous Heracles. So shaking hands was always a symbol of contracting a peace. When two hands touch, it shows that the hands are empty, that they hold no weapon to attack. Moving the arm while touching another person's hand shows that there is no secret weapon in the arm either.

In this Greek relief of the 3rd century BCE we see a man and his wife parting, greeting each other by shaking hands. With time, greeting by shaking hands became much more democratic, in place of the bows that were made, something that still exists today in the royal families of certain countries. Because to shake hands is to say that we are equals, at least for the moment. Another form of shaking hands is to put the other hand on the shoulder of the person opposite. It is not well known whether this way of greeting is out of sincerity or to manipulate. Likewise holding the other's hand with both hands, like a sandwich, can have the same meaning. If, in shaking hands, the other person takes only your fingers, it shows that he does not have much sympathy for you.

In India, instead of shaking hands they say 'Namaste', which means 'I bow before you', holding both hands together at the level of the heart as if asking pardon. In China the way of greeting is to bow the head slightly without shaking hands.