'Hand of Glory' eerie accessory for thieves of yore

[wfgodot]

ancient-origins.net:

Mummified Hand from Yorkshire May Be Last Hand of Glory Still in Existence

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The Hand of Glory .. is the hand of a man who has been hung.
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The origins make it not very surprising that a Hand of Glory was a grotesque artifact meant to aid thieves in their work during the night. Legends claimed that if thieves used the Hand of Glory as a candlestick to hold the lit candle made from the hung man’s fat (or in some versions lit the fingertips of the hand) then they could open any locked door and render all those within the house unconscious or paralyzed until they had completed their task.
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much more at link, with picture

 

[wfgodot]

More H. of G.:

Wikipedia: Hand of Glory

pitt.edu: Hand of Glory Legends

themystica.com: The Hand of Glory