About Amulets

An amulet is an object intended to protect its owner from bad luck, danger or other maladies. The word's origin is debated; it stems either from the Latin "amuletum," meaning "an object to be used for defense," or the Arabic "hamalet," meaning "that which is suspended." Amulets most often take the form of gemstones, coins, pendants, rings or religious symbols, and nearly all cultures and religions have some form of amulet in their history and traditions.

Earliest Mention

The first person to record the existence of amulets is Pliny the Elder, the Roman naturalist and philosopher. In his work Natural History, which dates back to A.D. 79, Pliny mentions three categories of amulets: objects believed to offer protection against trouble, objects containing prophylactic substances, and objects to be used as medicine.

Religious Objects

Many amulets represent the deity of a particular religion. In ancient Egypt, many people wore amulets inscribed with the Eye of Horus (a stylized representation of the sun god's eye, from which the modern Rx symbol is taken). Today, this tradition continues; some Buddhists wear small figurines of the Buddha around their necks, Christians wear crosses, and Bolivians often wear the standard amulet of Ekeko, their god of abundance.

Common Symbols

Eyes are common symbols on amulets, often found on ancient tombs or walls. Phallic symbols are also common, representing both power and regeneration; the ankh, the Egyptian symbol of life, represents the union of male and female through its figuring of the staff and the loop. Amulets inscribed with the names of gods or magical numbers have also been used since antiquity, and such symbols were widely popular as recently as the early 19th century.

Other Amulets

Sacred texts, even when not carried on the person, are often viewed as having amulet-like properties; for example, holy books are sometimes placed underneath the bed of a sick person. Objects as diverse as fragrances or animals can serve as amulets; even garlic, which is said to protect against vampires, is a type of amulet. The line between amulets, talismans, charms and blessed objects begins to blur after considering objects such as dream catchers and rabbit's-foots.

Amulets and the Church

As the Christian religion spread in the first and second centuries, leaders of the early church discouraged the use of amulets, viewing them as superstitious, pagan objects. Because many early converts still showed a desire to carry some talismanic object of religion with them, the Church made an effort to both provide new sacred objects (images of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and the Saints) and completely outlaw old amulets. Modern Christian and Catholic "amulets" differ from old talismans in that they are not viewed as inherently magical or powerful; rather, it is the devotee's reverence for what the object represents that gives the object a special power.

References

• Amulets
• Asch Amulets
• Use and Abuse of Amulets

Resources

• Catholic Encyclopedia: Amulets