Ancient amulets
Long before modern lucky charms existed, the civilisations of the Mediterranean and the Near East entrusted small objects with the protection of life, of the home and of the journey to the afterlife. This section gathers the history of the amulets of antiquity, beginning with pharaonic Egypt, with the ankh, the scarab, the wedjat eye, the djed pillar, the tyet knot and the heart amulets. It then moves on to the Mesopotamia of Pazuzu and Lamashtu, to the Phoenician and Punic world of glass head pendants and gold amulet cases, and to the Greece of the gorgoneion and the Ephesian letters. Rome and Etruria offer the bulla, the fascinum and the lunula, while Jewish tradition preserves the silver scrolls of Ketef Hinnom and ritual objects such as tefillin and mezuzah. The journey ends with the European cultures of the Iron Age. Each article is based on finds, ancient texts and archaeological research, and carefully distinguishes documented facts from the beliefs and legends that surrounded them.
The Ankh, Egypt's Sign of Life: History of a Symbol
The ankh in ancient Egypt: origins of the hieroglyph for life, its role in temple reliefs, ankh-shaped objects and its legacy as the Coptic crux ansata.
The Egyptian Scarab: Khepri, Seals and Amulets of the Rising Sun
The scarab in ancient Egypt: the god Khepri, scarab seals, the commemorative scarabs of Amenhotep III and their spread across the Mediterranean world.
The Eye of Horus: Myth and History of the Wedjat Amulet
The wedjat, Horus's wounded and healed eye: the myth of Horus and Seth, its use in amulets and mummification, and the debated theory of Horus-eye fractions.
The Djed Pillar: Stability and Rebirth in the Cult of Osiris
The Egyptian djed, sign of stability: its debated origins, links with Ptah and Osiris, the ceremony of raising the pillar and the golden djed amulet.
The Tyet, Knot of Isis: The Red Amulet of Ancient Egypt
The tyet or knot of Isis: shape, meaning and red materials of the amulet, chapter 156 of the Book of the Dead and the Isiac knot of the Roman period.
The Heart Scarab and the Ib Amulet in the Judgement of the Dead
The heart in ancient Egypt: the weighing before Osiris, the heart scarab inscribed with Book of the Dead chapter 30B and the vase-shaped ib amulet.
Amulets in the Wrappings: The Hidden Protection of Egyptian Mummies
Amulets placed among the wrappings of Egyptian mummies: the case of Tutankhamun, Petrie's classification, positions and functions in the Late Period.
Pazuzu, the Wind Demon Who Protected Mothers and Newborns
Pazuzu in first-millennium BC Mesopotamia: iconography, inscriptions, amulet heads used against Lamashtu and his modern fame through cinema.
Lamashtu and the Mesopotamian Plaques Protecting Childbirth
Lamashtu, the Mesopotamian demoness feared by mothers and infants: her iconography, the bronze amulet plaques and the Babylonian incantations against her.
Glass Head Pendants and Grimacing Masks of the Punic World
Punic core-formed glass head pendants and grimacing terracotta masks: technique, dating, protective function and the museums where they can be seen.
Phoenician and Punic Amulet Cases: Gold Caskets for Sacred Images
Phoenician and Punic amulet cases in gold and silver: their shape, rolled sheets with Egyptianising figures, finds at Carthage and Tharros, the sign of Tanit.
The Gorgoneion: Medusa's Head as a Shield Against Evil
The gorgoneion in Greek and Roman art: the myth of Medusa and Perseus, from grotesque archaic face to Hellenistic beauty, on shields, antefixes and amulets.
The Ephesia Grammata: Six Protective Words of Ancient Greece
The Ephesian letters, obscure words worn as amulets in ancient Greece: Anaxilas, Clement of Alexandria and the lead tablets from Phalasarna and Selinous.
The Roman Bulla: The Amulet of Freeborn Boys
The bulla, amulet of Roman children: shape and materials, Etruscan origins, the naming day, the toga of manhood and the accounts of Juvenal and Macrobius.
The Fascinum: The Romans' Phallic Amulet Against Envy
The fascinum in ancient Rome: meaning of the name, the accounts of Pliny and Varro, pendants, tintinnabula and the defence against the evil eye.
The Lunula: The Crescent Moon in Ancient Traditions
The lunula, the crescent pendant worn by Roman girls: its link with the moon, Plautus, the biblical crescents and the harness of military horses.
Etruscan Amulets: Amber, Gold Bullae and Carnelian Scarabs
The amulets of the Etruscans: Baltic amber from Verucchio and Vetulonia, gold bullae, carnelian scarabs and the influence of Egypt and the East.
Tefillin and Mezuzah: Jewish Ritual Objects Between Precept and Protection
Tefillin and mezuzah in Jewish tradition: biblical basis, the Qumran finds, Maimonides' judgement and the distinction between commandment and amulet.
The Silver Scrolls of Ketef Hinnom, Amulets of Ancient Jerusalem
The two silver scrolls from Ketef Hinnom in Jerusalem: Iron Age amulets bearing the priestly blessing of Numbers 6, the oldest known biblical text.
Iron Age Amulets in Europe: From Hallstatt to La Tène
Amulets of the European Iron Age: Hallstatt pendants, birds and solar boats, Gaulish votive wheels, coral, amber and glass eye beads.