<P> Archaeological ruins and ancient texts show that handshaking--also known as dexiosis--was practiced in ancient Greece as far back as the 5th century BC; a depiction of two soldiers shaking hands can be found on part of a 5th - century BC funerary stele on display in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin (stele SK1708) and other funerary steles like the one of the 4th century BC which depicts Thraseas and his wife Euandria handshaking (see images on the right). The handshake is believed by some to have originated as a gesture of peace by demonstrating that the hand holds no weapon . </P> <Ul> <Li> Pictures: Handshaking depicted on historic artifacts </Li> <Li> <P> Hoplite greeting an older man with slave carrying the aspis </P> </Li> <Li> <P> Funerary stele of Thrasea and Euandria . Marble, ca . 375 - 350 BC . Antikensammlung Berlin, Pergamon Museum, 738 </P> </Li> <Li> <P> Antiochus I Theos of Commagene, shaking hands with Heracles 70--38 BC, Arsameia . </P> </Li> </Ul> <Li> Pictures: Handshaking depicted on historic artifacts </Li> <Li> <P> Hoplite greeting an older man with slave carrying the aspis </P> </Li>

Where did the right hand shake come from