Handshakes

[Jack Ryan]

[Jack Ryan]

That is one idea of why it was created. Another is that it was a symbol of good faith or a bond between people. The earliest depiction of the handshake is from the 9th century BC when Assyrian King Shalmaneser III is shown shaking hands with a Babylonian king as they formed an alliance. Likewise, Homer used the act in his works to display pledges and/or trust. In Ancient Greece, funerary art would show people shaking the hands of the dead signifying a final farewell and eternal bond. In Ancient Rome, it was a symbol of friendship and trust. In the 17th century, Quakers used it as an alternative to bowing or tipping your hat, which became the most common use of the gesture by the 19th century.