Lucky charms of the world
Every culture has sought to protect home, children and work with small objects charged with meaning. In this section we gather the history of the world's best-known lucky charms: from the red horn of Naples to the horseshoe hung on English doors, from the four-leaf clover of European meadows to the maneki-neko of Japanese shops, from the hamsa of the Maghreb to the blue eye of the Turkish nazar. Alongside these we meet the Ojibwe dreamcatcher, the ladybird beloved of farmers, the elephant with its trunk raised, the daruma and the omamori, the rabbit's foot, the acorns of the oak, Chinese coins, bells, the Egyptian scarab, the Andean Ekeko and the bulla of Roman children. For each object we trace its origins, places and documented dates, carefully separating historical facts from the legends that surround them. The aim is not to promise luck, but to understand why men and women of different ages have entrusted their hopes to an object.
The Neapolitan cornetto: from ancient horn to red coral
The history of Naples' lucky horn: the horn as a fertility symbol, the Roman fascinum, the coral of Torre del Greco and the rules of popular tradition.
The horseshoe: iron, the moon and the legend of St Dunstan
Why the horseshoe brings luck: the power attributed to iron, the English legend of St Dunstan and the Devil, and the debate over points up or down.
The four-leaf clover: how a rarity became a symbol of luck
The four-leaf clover between botany and belief: an unusual leaf of white clover, the first English records of the 1600s and how it differs from the shamrock.
Maneki-neko: the beckoning cat of Japanese temples and shops
Origins of the maneki-neko, Japan's cat with a raised paw: the legends of Gōtoku-ji and Imado, the meaning of each paw and the ceramics of Tokoname.
The hamsa: the protective hand of Islam, Judaism and the Mediterranean
The hamsa, hand of Fatima or of Miriam: the origin of its name, its use against the evil eye, its meanings in Islam and Judaism and the hand of the Alhambra.
The nazar: the blue glass eye that turns back the evil eye
The Turkish nazar boncuğu and the blue eyes of the Mediterranean: the ancient belief in the evil eye, Plutarch and Pliny, glass beads and the Greek mati.
The Ojibwe dreamcatcher: Spider Woman's web and its travels
The true origins of the dreamcatcher: Ojibwe culture of the Great Lakes, the legend of Asibikaashi, Frances Densmore's accounts and its modern spread.
The ladybird: the insect of Our Lady and of farmers
Why the ladybird brings luck: names dedicated to the Virgin in European languages, its role in the fields, biological control in California and nursery rhymes.
The elephant with raised trunk: a charm between India and the West
From Ganesha to the white elephants of the kings of Siam: the Asian roots of the lucky elephant and the Western spread of the upward-pointing trunk.
The daruma: the eyeless doll that teaches perseverance
The Japanese daruma between history and legend: Bodhidharma and Zen, the doll that rights itself, the colour red, the Takasaki temple and year-end rites.
Omamori: small protective pouches from the shrines of Japan
What Japanese omamori are: what the pouch contains, their many purposes, their link with shrines and temples and the custom of returning them after a year.
The rabbit's foot: from African American folklore to key rings
History of the lucky rabbit's foot: the hare in European folklore, Pepys's diary, hoodoo in the American South and the spread of the charm through commerce.
Acorns: the fruit of the sacred oak as a lucky charm
The acorn as a symbol of strength and luck: Zeus's oak at Dodona, the Germanic thunder god, Victorian blind pulls and the coat of arms of the Della Rovere.
St Martin's horseshoe: the knightly saint and the luck of travellers
St Martin of Tours, patron of horsemen, and the horseshoe in popular devotion: the cloak at Amiens, 11 November, St Eligius and the farriers' patron saints.
Chinese coins with a square hole: money, cosmos and good wishes
Ancient Chinese lucky coins: from the Qin banliang to the Tang kaiyuan tongbao, the symbolism of heaven and earth, the red ribbon and the amulet coins.
The lucky hunchback: a figure of Neapolitan superstition
History of the lucky hunchback charm: the popular belief, the Neapolitan gobbetto in top hat and tails, number 57 of the Smorfia and the link with jettatura.
Little bells and great bells: the sound that drives evil away
Bells as lucky charms: the tintinnabula of Pompeii, the high priest's golden bells in Exodus, church bells against lightning and the Japanese fūrin.
The Egyptian scarab: the amulet of the reborn sun
The scarab in ancient Egypt: the god Khepri, the symbol of rebirth, seals and heart scarabs, the scarabs of Amenhotep III and the carved scarabs of Etruria.
Ekeko and the Alasita fair: abundance in miniature in the Andes
Ekeko, the little Aymara god of abundance, and the Alasita fair in La Paz: pre-Hispanic roots, the siege of 1781, the miniatures and UNESCO recognition.
The Roman bulla: the golden amulet that protected freeborn children
The bulla of Roman children: Etruscan origins according to Macrobius, materials and social status, the fascinum, the toga virilis and the gift to the Lares.