Does anybody know how, in an age before thumbs up and thumbs down, someone might indicate by gesture something positive or negative. Nods and shake of the head, yes, but anything with the hands?
Thanks, Jonathan
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Thanks both. That's the thing, I can't find anything in memoirs either. But there must have been a range of gestures from nodding to saluting to cutting throats even.
Having done a quick search on this, it appears that the thumbs-up dates back as far as the Middle Ages (the alleged Roman origin is considered doubtful), so it may have still been used in the Napoleonic era. There are some academic articles and chapters on it. I can't find any reference to it in memoirs of the period, though, but that's not evidence it wasn't used.
Perhaps the fingertips kiss?