The Human Figures, etc.

303

Whatever movements people make with their arms and hands, whether they are grasping, avoiding, fighting, praying, requesting, imposing, wondering, witnessing, teaching and other endless actions, they assist uniquely. It is primarily the hands through which we demand, promise, call to us, send off, threaten, question, and refuse; indeed, all our activities extend from them. Many activities, related to crafts, are called handicrafts because they are executed by hand. With the movement of hands, one can also express fear, joy, sadness, doubt, recognition, sympathy, shame, encouragement, restraint, acceptance, rejection, giving way, surprise, and almost everything humans do.

It is notably remarkable that the gestures people make with their hands have almost the same meaning across all peoples and nations; especially those arising from the 'Fountain of Emotions', which are never limited to particular customs or the habits of certain lands or peoples, unique to them.

So the actions performed by arms and hands are rightly called the universal language of the earth. This revealed that all humanity is made from one blood. However, if one wishes to consider actions according to the customs and teachings of peoples, then one observes significant differences in various actions; to show an example, we can note that when we call someone with an uplifted hand or beckon.

The actions through arms and hands following the courses of emotions, are the universal language of the world. Differences within customs have been shown. Beckon.

Translation Notes:

Messchkunde: Translated as 'human studies' or 'figure studies', not 'anthropology'.