{"id":11974,"date":"2022-06-06T12:22:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-06T11:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pret-a-reporter.co.uk\/blog\/?p=11974"},"modified":"2022-06-21T14:55:18","modified_gmt":"2022-06-21T13:55:18","slug":"figa-sign-in-jewellery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pret-a-reporter.co.uk\/blog\/figa-sign-in-jewellery\/","title":{"rendered":"The Figa Sign in Jewellery"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Influencer<\/a><\/p>\n

Want to wear a low-key profanity on your neck without looking vulgar? Step aside middle finger, go back to sleep engraved swear words, it’s time to make space for mano figa pendants and charms in your jewellery collection.<\/p>\n

What does mano figa mean?<\/h2>\n

The fig sign (or figa<\/em>, or mano in fica<\/em> for the Italian speakers), is considered to be a bit of a naughty little sign, dating back to Roman times (though some may argue that it could have originated in India). This gesture – which you can proudly master by wedging your thumb between your index and middle fingers – is a representation of a woman’s genitals. Genitals? I’d usually use much more direct language, but on this occasion I need to keep this factual. Search engines might take me for an inappropriate site that talks about inappropriate things, despite half the population being born with a vagina<\/em> – excuse me, female genitalia – which should at least make it an inoffensive, normal body part. But we’re not there yet.<\/p>\n

But let’s go back to the figa sign. Those Ancient Romans who chose thug-life by expressing themselves with the figa have ensured the symbol was carried on through the Mediterranean, Turkey and straight into Latin and Slavic cultures. That’s right, the gesture generally used to be a pretty gangster way to say no, go away, buzz off<\/em> or to voice a bit of a tongue-in-cheek insult without actually opening your mouth. These days though the rudeness scale of the symbol has mostly gone down to 4-year-olds seeing it as their stolen nose.<\/p>\n

Wearing figa pendants and charms<\/h2>\n

So how has the figa become a good luck charm to be worn on necklaces or bracelets, if it was intended to be an insult? This paradox is actually the reason why it has become a good luck charm. The gesture was considered to be so obscene, that even evil spirits and ghosts would leave you alone as they wouldn’t want to start a turf war with someone as badass as you with that figa around your neck. It is this very sentiment that has transformed the figa from vulgarity into a talisman or amulet to wear to ward off the evil eye and bring luck.<\/p>\n

Notable figas<\/h2>\n