The secret meaning of the images of hands, raised hands and clapping hands is preserved in the weaving of iklims in Central Asia, see “The Language of Kilim of Anatolia” by Üzeyir ÖZYURT, in which we see that stories and the key symbols of goddess fertility and sky gods’ thunderbolts passed from Anatolia to the Mongols of Hitay, the emblems passed among the nomadic tribes in the Middle East to those of the Steppelands.
” There is a similar tradition in 10th century BC “taken on” by the mongols of Hitay, but on this occasion the ram takes the place of the bull. With the arrival of the labour pains, the Mongolian emperor, greeted the sun eight times then returned to encircle,
waiting for the moment of delivery. …
When the nomadic tribes of breeders of oxen established in the Middle East they covered the pastures of the Steppes and experienced the burning sun and thunderstorms”
On the meaning of woven symbols of raised hands or praying hands:
“The Kilim expresses the desires and aspirations of the weaver and in a way to mean the destiny. Frequently the symbols of the Kilim represent the power of an object, when a woman weaves a scorpion, this removes the threat of that animal from her hearth and the village and her country. For the same reason the woman will use a symbol as an augury of fertility and to preserve the cycle of life. Elibelinde interlaced with Kocboynuzu recalls the ancient myth of the celestial divinity that with the spring rains it makes the earth fruitful. Thanks to the ceremonies celebrated in the name of the Goddess Mother and the God of the Sky, the next harvest is abundant. If in spite of this the great goddess is angry, it would be necessary to pray. Then the hands that before had guided the wagons, threw nets, attended children, seeded fields turned to the sky in an action of admission of impotence and great faith. They become sacred then they acquire a magical power and in a position to protect mankind from a bad fate. The hands, wherever in the world can be put in relation with primitive religions, in how many symbols of protection, imposition and gift of force. Some legends of the ancients confirm this. Rhea of Crete, goddess creator mother, gave birth to Zeus at Lyctus in the cove of Dikte, and supporting the hands to the earth from there it draws the force in order to alleviate the pains of the delivery. The prints of the five fingers will later become Daktilis which means fingers.”
On the meaning of clapping hands:
“In Asia Minor, in a tribe near Yakuds, the young women have a ritual where clapping hands are used to induce a trance, which produces unrestrained laughter, this means that the spirit of Aysit will enter and guarantee fertility and numerous progeny. During delivery, the presence of a crowd using the tips of their fingers alleviated labour pains.
On these occasions they burnt small tents made from beech wood, decorated with designs of red deer, suns and moons evoked the Goddess Mother to aid the birth. In this area when a new house was built, a glove was thrown in the air and if it fell palm up then this was a bad augury and it was thrown again until it fell palm down”
JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY & FOLKLORE 