Do You Have a Simian Line?

Most people have two major transverse lines in the upper half of the palm. In Palmistry and Hand Analysis these are called the Heart Line and the Head Line.

When the Heart Line and Head Line are fused together, only one major line is present, and it extends all the way across the hand from edge to edge. This is called a "Simian Line", or "Simian Crease". Medical references call it the "proximal transverse palmar crease" or "single palmar crease".

The purest form of simian line is where only one line cuts across the hand and there is no indication of it containing more than one line. However, there are many variations between the two examples above. Some of these possible variations are shown below along with the rules for hand analysis.

This is not a pure simian line but rather a strong heart line that has captured the head line. This person will operate with nearly all heart and emotional energy and will have very little logic and mental power for making decisions and taking actions. Emotions will strongly rule every activity.

This is not a pure simian line but rather a strong head line (blue) that has captured the heart line (red). This person will operate with nearly all head energy and will have very little emotional power for making decisions and taking actions. Logic, with little emotion, will strongly rule every activity.

This hand shows a piece of a heart line (1) and piece of a head line (2). Most likely only one of these pieces would be present on a hand with a simian line. Whichever piece is present would indicate that there is some of that energy strongly affecting all activities. For example, if only the simian line plus a piece of heart line (1) was present then this person's simian line would have considerable influence from heart and emotional tendencies. A piece of head line (2) would lend considerable logic and mental influence.

This hand does not mean there are two simian lines possible. It just indicates that a high simian line (A) or a low simian line (B) is possible. It is quite difficult to discern which type one has if the line is somewhere in between the high and low positions. In any case, the higher the simian line is on the palm, the more emotional energy is affecting all activities. The lower the simian line is on the palm, the more logic and mental powers affect all activities.

The name "simian" was adopted many years ago and comes from the fact that some monkeys have only one crease in their palm.

Approximately 4% of Caucasians have this line on at least one hand. Approximately 13% of all Asians have it on at least one hand. It is even rarer to have this line on both hands.

A computer search of the medical literature reveals numerous attempts to link dermatoglyphics (skin markings) to medical disorders. At least fourteen chromosomal abnormalities are listed in the medical literature that have a high correlation (up to 84%) with the occurrence of a Simian Line. Down Syndrome is one of these diseases due to a chromosome abnormality. Does that mean that every person with a Simian Line is likely to have something medically wrong with them? No! There are many people with Simian Lines that do not have more than the average medical problems.

[NOTE: An informal and unscientific survey on this web site for people with one or more simian lines indicates that the majority of the surveyors do not have more than the normal physical problems. You can see the results for all the questions in graphic form here.]

Palm readers and Hand Analysts have observed over the years some common traits in people with Simian Lines on one or both hands. [This pertains to those people who have no apparent medical problems.] People with Simian Lines generally live their life differently than most other people who do not have Simian Lines. Not necessarily living better nor worse. Just living more intensely with an undercurrent of uneasiness. It is interesting that a number of well known people with a Simian Line have made a positive contribution to history. They include British Prime Minister Tony Blair (both hands), former Russian President Nikita Kruchev, writers John Steinbeck and Henry Miller, to name some well documented cases.

In personally talking with people who have one or more simian lines I have confirmed some common traits that they seem to share. I also did hypnosis with two individuals with simian lines and discovered an interesting connection to past lives concerning their simian lines. This is an ongoing project with me since 1985 and I have documented some of my more interesting findings in the second edition of my book, "Secrets of Hand Analysis".

©2004 Larry Rodrigues - Free Hand Analysis: Palmistry for the new millennium