The shape of the hand provides a wealth of information relating to the character and the peculiarities of the subject, say great palmists who have done research and gathered knowledge through practice of the science.

The hand as a whole is divided into three distinct parts as:

(1) Hand Proper
(2) Fingers and
(3) The Thumb.

(1) The Hand Proper (back) extends from the wrist to the lower knuckles of the four fingers.
(2) The Fingers: Four in number. Each finger is divided into three phalanges, the first or the nailed one, the second and the third connecting the Hand proper.

(3) The Thumb consists of two phalanges only. The lower portion of the Thumb is attached to the wrist and it is also one of five metacarpal bones forming the Palm proper. It is not a phalanx. Readers have to note that the Hand as a whole is the back of the hand from the wrist to Finger tips. Palm is the inside of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers.

There are seven types of Hands each with a specific shape. They are:
(1) Elementary or primary hand
(2) Square or the useful hand
(3) Spatulate hand
(4) Philosopher’s hand
(5) Conic or artistic hand
(6) Psychic or idealistic hand
(7) Mixed hand

The Elementary hand or the Primary hand:
 As the names suggest is the lowest of all types. It is characterized by stiff thick fingers. A clumsy thumb, the nailed phalange turned back, a hard palm and shapeless finger tips. The hand as a whole is short and thick.

Owners of the Elementary hand possess little mental development and hardly any skills developed by brain. They fit into occupations requiring unskilled manual labour. They have a violent temper and are unable to bridle their passions. They are like animals guided by instinct rather than by reason. They have no ambitions and are quite contented if they have enough to eat and drink and sleep.

The Square or the useful hand:
 This type of hand is called `square’ because it is more or less square in shape. Even the nailed phalanges of fingers of such a hand are square. The thumb of the Square type is often long, well-shaped, set high on the palm and stands away from the palm.

People with this type of hand are pragmatic, logical and materialistic. They are solid serious workers, not idealists or visionaries.

They are said to be narrow-minded and are respecters of the letter of the law. They are firm and resolute in their views, especially when their thumb is long and the first joint is stiff.

We can recognize this type easily when we look at the back or the reverse of the hand. There are several knots on the fingers of this hand.

The Spatulate or the Necessary or the Workman’s hand: 
This hand is usually crooked or irregular looking with large finger tips. The nailed phalanges of the fingers of the spatulate type present the appearance of a flattened out spatula.

People with this type of hand are untiring persistent workers full of energy and drive. They are innovative, unconventional and emotional.

Unlike the Square type, the Spatulate type possesses much imagination. They do not sit idle and stare while the world passes by. Even if they are born poor, they would eventually rise to a high position by the dint of perseverance

The Philosopher’s hand:
 Long, bony and angular with knotty joints and is fairly thin. People with this kind of hand are great readers with a propensity towards literature. They love sedentary work and a solitary and austere lifestyle. As a rule, the line of Head on such hands is rather sloping. People with this type of hand rarely amass as much wealth as those with the Square hand do. The Philosopher’s hand symbolizes a high mental plane of the humankind.

Conic or Artist’s or artistic hand: 
This type of hand is soft, supple and tender and is graceful in appearance. The fingers are thin, long, artistic and well formed. The owner of this type of hand may not always be a painter or any other artiste. But he would have emotional and artistic temperament and the love for beautiful surroundings. He is most sensitive to colour, music, and all fine arts. The Head line and will power shown by it would determine whether the subject would develop his inborn talents into full flowering. They are true connoisseurs of art and if for some reason they fail to become practicing artistes, they would spend a greater portion of their wealth on artistic pursuits. From a worldly point of view, these persons are failures in life as they live in a world of fantasy. However, if an artist’s hand is not supple and little stiff, he would acquire wealth and fame by means of his artistic skills.

Psychic or idealistic hand:
 This type of hand represents the highest developed mental stage of man. But this type does not represent success from a worldly point of view. This type of hand is generally supple and well formed. These graceful hands do not appear to have been made for any kind of manual work. People with type of hand develop psychic powers. They are mostly idealists and dreamers who are not adequately equipped mentally and physically to deal with problems in life in practical terms.

Mixed hand:
 This type of hand shows a mix of characteristics of other types, but this type cannot be treated as belonging to any of the types we have so far discussed. Renowned palmists say that they have often found some hands with the four fingers different from one another. For example, one finger may be pointed or conical and another square or spatulate and so on.

Owners of this type of hand are versatile, but they fail to master any of the trades they try their hand at. In other words, they are like the proverbial jacks of all trades and masters of none.

It is only when the line of Head is clear and straight, is there the likelihood of a person with a mixed hand making a success of his life.