AMULETS. In general an amulet may be described as a charm made of stone, metal, earthenware, parchment, paper or other material, having incised or inscribed magic figures, characters or a bare inscription on it. The amulet is used to protect the wearer against witchcraft, sickness, etc. It has been usually worn suspended from the neck. The words and are commonly considered as synonymous. But, while the amulet is supposed to be limited to protecting the bearer from all malignant outside in fluences, the talisman is supposed to have, besides this power of protection from danger to its wearer, also miraculous influences on others. The talisman is supposed to be able to enforce, for its possessor, the love and influence of others.
Much study and discussion have been de voted to the derivation of the word amulet.
The nnininn th,t it wunc frnm the Arnhir harnail (necklace, sword-belt), or hamalet (something suspended), is wavering. Pliny said the country folk called the cyclamen which they planted in the house to make all poisonous drugs harm less, amuletum. This derivation receives more general acceptance.
Faith in the power of amulets has existed in every nation from time immemorial. Among the ancients the most prominent Orientals to attain a fixed amulet cult were the Chaldeans, Babylonians, Persians, Indians, Chinese and But ut foremost in the popular culti vation of the faith in amulets must be placed the ancient Egyptians. Among the ancient Nile-dwellers the oldest and far most prolific ally used form of amulet was the scarab (q.v.). Many thousands are to be found in the museums and other collections. These, with a multitude of peculiar amulets, are found on the mummy bodies in every Egyptian tomb, each for its specific future purpose, buried to keep the deceased free from the numerous torments of the underworld.
Among the ancients we find the Greeks favored as amulets rings of iron. Roman amulets consisted largely of necklaces, brace lets, metal diadems, precious stones, and, es pecially, black coral (gorgosia antipathes). They often enclosed their amulets in lense shaped receptacles (bunce), and attached them to the necks of their boy children. Roman lawyers wore a baby's caul as bringing pros perity. The Germanic peoples used the symbol of Thor's hammer, luck-stones, herbs, pieces of certain roots, also the prehistoric flint arrow heads mounted in gold, etc. The Jews bound thongs, containing verses of the Law, round the head or arm (phylacteries) for protection from evil; the figures of gods or stars, magic rings, etc., were illicitly worn.
In the Middle Ages, when such amulets were placed under the ban of the Christian churches of Constantinople (Byzantium) and Rome, the Agnus Dei and Holy Virgin medallions took their place, or pieces of parchment were carried inscribed with the beginning of the Gospel of St. John. The Agnostic stones carried (in
rings or in the clothes) by the Hermetics were strictly -amulets. The early Christian, pierced ivory, glass, and bronze fishes were, undoubt edly, amulets. The encolpia of the 4th century also belongs to the same category. Rings mounting a <(toadstone" were worn by women to keep bad fairies from their new born babes.
In the present day Mohammedans carry as amulets faith-stones, rings, pieces of paper in scribed with magic formulae or with the "99 Attributes of Allah," or verses of the Koran. They also adopted from the Egyptians the hand amulet ("hand of Fatima"), to suspend in their dwellings or wear, to ward off the "Evil Eye)); all in spite of the laws of the Koran. Italians attach small images or pieces of coral to their children's necks "against the Evil Eye." They even suspend amulets to their domestic animals for this purpose. In southern Europe we find coral used also as protection from hemorrhages, pieces of elkhorn as cure for epilepsy, not to mention abracadabra tablets and amulet coins. In England the widest known amulet at this day is, probably, the baby's caul, for which sailors, especially, pay a good price, as it is said to be a sure protection against drowning. The Scotch, to this day, wear as amulets prehistoric flint arrowheads mounted in silver; they call them and suppose them to have been shot from the heavens by the fairies. These are used by the Italians also who know them as "tongues of Saint Paul." Bibliography.—Blumler, M. F., 'A History of Amulets,' trans. from the Latin by H. S. (2 vols., Halle 1710; reprinted Edinburgh 1887) ; Bradley, George H., 'The Power of Gems and Charms' (London 1907) ; Fischer and Wiede mann, 'Babylonische Talisman' (Stuttgart 1881) ; King, Charles W., 'Talismans and Amulets,) in Arcluzological Journal (Vol. XXVI, London 1869) ; id., 'The Gnostics and Their Remains' ; Krehl, 'Der Talisman' (in Der Alte Orient Jahrg, Lei zig 1865) ; Kunz, George J F., 'The Magic of Jewels and Charms' (Phila delphia 1915) ; id. 'The Curious Lore of Precious Stones' jib., 1913); Smith, Richard Gordon, 'Ancient Talismans and Folklore of Japan); Thomas, William, and Pavitt, Kate, 'The Book of Talismans, Amulets and Zodia cal Gems' (London 1914) ; Wiedemann, Karl Alfred, 'Die Amulette der (Leipzig 1910). CLEMENT W. COUMBE.