An object worn, especially around the neck, as a charm against evil or injury.
[Latin amulētum.]
amulet
Dictionary:
am·u·let (ăm'yə-lĭt)  |
n.
An object worn, especially around the neck, as a charm against evil or injury.
An object worn, especially around the neck, as a charm against evil or injury.
| Thesaurus: amulet |
noun
- A small object worn or kept for its supposed magical power: charm, fetish, juju, periapt, phylactery, talisman. See supernatural.
| Encyclopedia of Judaism: Amulet |
Object worn or kept close to one's person as a protection against evil, natural and supernatural. These artifacts are believed, on account of their origin, inscriptions, or special associations, to have the spiritual power or holiness to ward off misfortune (see Evil Eye). The Talmud mentions the practice of hanging or wearing parchments containing suitable biblical inscriptions as amulets. This raised halakhic questions as to whether such amulets---termed kamé'ot in Aramaic---possessed the holiness of Scriptural scrolls, and whether they might be worn outside the home on the Sabbath (Shab. 6.2; Yoma 84a). While Maimonides opposed reliance on amulets, most other rabbinical authorities permitted their use. Belief in their efficacy was widespread in Eastern Europe and the Orient, particularly after the spread of kabbalistic ideas in the Middle Ages. Special amulets could be prepared for various needs, e.g., to cure Barrenness and heal the sick, or to serve as protective talismans during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as for the newly born. Traditional Judaism does not consider the Tefillin or Mezuzah to be amulets in this sense, but there were periods in which these ritual objects assumed talismanic importance among ordinary folk and miniature replicas are worn today as "good luck" charms.
Amulet inscriptions included the Priestly Blessing (Num. 6:24-26), the Names of God in various permutations, the names given to dozens of angels, and various mystical incantations written either in full or in abbreviation. These inscriptions were often set down on parchment and placed in cases of cylindrical or other shape; otherwise, they were inscribed on disks of silver or other metals, the latter taking the form of jewelry or pendants worn around the neck. Occasionally, the inscription is woven into a popular design or symbol, but sometimes the symbol accompanies the writing. Popular motifs include the Magen David (Star of David), Psalm 67 in the form of a seven-branched Menorah, the hand (ḥamsa in Arabic), squares and rectangles.
Two small cylindrical objects, with a space in the middle through which a string could be threaded, were discovered in 1979 inside a tomb on Ketef Hinnom in Jerusalem. When unrolled, they were found to be silver plaques inscribed with the Priestly Blessing. Dating from the mid-seventh century BCE, these silver scrolls constitute the earliest evidence that metal amulets were used and worn during the First Temple period.
| Archaeology Dictionary: amulet |
[Ar]
An object which is believed by its owner to have the power to ward off evil. Sometimes bears a magical inscription to ensure efficacy.
| Columbia Encyclopedia: amulet |
amulet (ăm'yəlĭt), object or formula that credulity and superstition have endowed with the power of warding off harmful influences. The use of the amulet to avert danger and to dispel evil has been known in different religions and among diverse peoples. Like the talisman and the charm, the amulet is believed to be the source of an impersonal force that is an inherent property of the object rather than the manifestation of a deity working through that object (see fetish and taboo). Although amulets are most often worn on the body, hanging from the neck or strapped to the arm or leg, they may also serve as protective emblems on walls and doorways (e.g., the Jewish mezuzah). Sometimes the amulet consists of a spoken, written, or drawn magic formula, such as abracadabra and the magic square, or of a symbolic figure, such as the wheel of the sun god and the Aryan swastika. In many cultures the teeth, claws, and other parts of an animal are believed to communicate their properties to the wearer. Although belief in amulets is very widespread in primitive societies, it has survived in modern civilization. Common superstition has endowed such things as the rabbit's foot with the property of being able to bring good luck. In some modern religious practices, amulets such as the Jewish phylactery and the Christian cross are more strictly related to ritual and serve as personal reminders to the wearers of their relationship to God.
| Occultism & Parapsychology Encyclopedia: Amulets |
The charm, amulet, or mascot, derives from fetishism, the belief of people that a small object or fetish could contain a spirit. Amulets are said to be of two classes: those which are worn as (1) fetishes, i.e., the dwelling place of spiritual entities who are active on behalf of the wearer; or (2) mascots to ward off bad luck or such influences as the evil eye. The amulet, a protective device, is thus distinguished from a talisman, a magical charm used to accomplish some end.
There is little doubt that charms were worn by prehistoric peoples, because objects similar in appearance and general description to amulets have been discovered in neolithic tombs. The ancient Egyptians possessed a bewildering variety of amulets, worn by both the living and the dead. Indeed, among the latter, every part of the body had an amulet sacred to itself. These were, as a rule, evolved from various organs of the gods; for example, the eye of Isis, the backbone of Osiris, and so forth. Among savage and semicivilized peoples, the amulet usually took the form of necklaces, bracelets, or anklets, and where belief in witchcraft and the evil eye was strong, the faith in these and in charms was always most intense.
Stones, teeth, claws, shells, coral, and symbolic emblems were favored amulets. These item were seen to carry specific characteristics of the animal from which they were taken or to correspond to reality specific to the culture. For example, the desert goat is a sure-footed animal; accordingly, certain Malay tribes carried its tongue as a powerful amulet against falling. Beads resembling teeth were often hung around the necks of Kaffir children in Africa to assist them in teething, and the incisor teeth of the beaver were frequently placed around the necks of Native American girls to promote industriousness.
Certain plants and minerals were believed to indicate by their external character the diseases for which nature intended them as remedies. Thus the euphrasia, or eyebright, was supposed to be good for the eyes because it contains a black pupil-like spot, while the blood-stone was employed for stopping the flow of blood from a wound.
When prehistoric implements, such as arrowheads, were found, they were thought by the peasants of the locality to be of great virtue as amulets. Some light is cast on this custom by the fact that stone arrowheads were in use among medieval British witches. But in most countries they were thought to descend from the sky and were therefore kept to preserve people and cattle from lightning.
Certain roots, which have the shape of snakes, were kept by Malays to protect them against snakebite. This correspondence of root to animal likeness is known as the doctrine of signatures.
The Celts used many kinds of amulets, such as the symbolic wheel of the sun god found frequently in France and Great Britain, pebbles, amulets of the teeth of the wild boar, and pieces of amber. The well-known serpent's egg of the Druids was also probably an amulet of the priests. Indian amulets are numerous, and in Buddhist countries their use was universal, especially where that religion had degenerated. In northern Buddhist countries, it was common to wear an amulet around the neck. These generally represented the leaf of the sacred fig tree and were made in the form of a box that contained a scrap of sacred writing, prayer, or a little picture. Women of position in Tibet wore a chatelaine containing a charm or charms, and the universal amulet of the Tibetan Buddhist priests is the thunderbolt, supposed to have fallen direct from Indra's heaven. This is usually imitated in bronze or other metal and is used for exorcising evil spirits.
Many Muslims wear amulets, and it is said that the prophet Mohammed believed in the evil eye. The Koran is sometimes carried as an amulet, or extracts from it are copied out for that purpose. Suras 113 and 114 are directed against witchcraft. Other powerful charms for amulets include the names and attributes of gods, the names of the suras in the Koran, names of prophets, planets, angels, and magic squares.
Amulets were also widespread among Jewish people, particularly from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. The phylacteries still worn in certain rituals are believed to be a protection against evil. One, derived from the legend of Lilith, bearing the name of three angels, is given to babies to protect them from her. In Jewish folklore, names of God, biblical verses and names of angels were regarded to be powerful amulets. Such amulets have been copied by non-Jewish occultists and used in ritual magic.
With the magical revival of the nineteenth century and the belief in occult powers being directed to various goals by magical practitioners, amulets once again came into widespread use. They were a necessary side effect of the development of talismanic magic, an important part of magical practice featured in the writings of Francis Barrett and Éliphas Lévi. Today, magicians and Wiccans learn the preparation of amulets as part of their basic magical training.
Sources:
Budge, E. A. W. Amulets and Talismans. New Hyde Park, N.Y.: University Books, 1961.
Lippman, Deborah, and Paul Colin. How to Make Amulets, Charms, and Talismans. New York: M. Evans, 1974.
Pavitt, William T., and Kate Pavitt. The Book of Talismans, Amulets, and Zodiacal Gems. Detroit: Gale Research, 1972.
| Word Tutor: amulet |
IN BRIEF: An ornament worn as protection against evil.
Oscar wore an amulet to ward off evil spirits.
| Wikipedia: Amulet |
For the ARM asynchronous microprocessor, see AMULET microprocessor.
An amulet (from Latin amuletum; earliest extant use in Naturalis Historia [Pliny], meaning "an object that protects a person from trouble"), a close cousin of the talisman (from Arabic طلاسم tilasm, ultimately from Greek telesma or from the Greek word "telein" which means "to initiate into the mysteries") consists of any object intended to bring good luck and/or protection to its owner. Potential amulets include: gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants, animals, etc.; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—(Latin, "go back, Satan"), to repel evil or bad luck.
Contents |
Talismans in the Abrahamic religions
In antiquity and the Middle Ages, most Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Orient believed in the protective and healing power of amulets or blessed objects. Talismans used by these peoples can be broken down into three main categories. The first are the types carried or worn on the body. The second version of a talisman is one which is hung upon or above the bed of an infirm person. The last classification of talisman is one with medicinal qualities. This latter category of item can be further divided into external and internal. In the former, one could, for example, place an amulet in a bath. The power of the amulet would be understood to be transmitted to the water, and thus to the bather. In the latter, inscriptions would be written or inscribed onto food, which was then boiled. The resulting broth, when consumed, was assumed to transfer the healing qualities engraved on the food into the consumer.
Jews, Christians, and Muslims have also at times used their holy books in a talisman-like manner in grave situations. For example, a bed-ridden and seriously ill person would have a holy book placed under part of the bed or cushion.[1]
Judaism
Amulets are plentiful in the Jewish tradition, with examples of Solomon era amulets existing in many museums. Due to proscription of idols, Jewish amulets emphasize text and names—the shape, material or color of an amulet makes no difference.[2][3] See also Khamsa.
The Jewish tallis (Yiddish-Hebrew form; plural is tallitot), the prayer shawl with fringed corners and knotted tassels at each corner, is perhaps one of the world's oldest and most used talismanic objects. Some believe it was intended to distinguish the Jews from pagans, as well as to remind them of God and Heaven. An incorrect conjugation of the plural form (with Ashkenazi pronunciation), "tallisim," is very close to the term "talisman;" however, this is an incorrect etymology as the word talisman is of Greek origin.[4]
A little-known but well-worn amulet in the Jewish tradition is the kimiyah or "angel text". This consists of names of angels or Torah passages written on parchment squares by rabbinical scribes. The parchment is then placed in an ornate silver case and worn someplace on the body.[5]
Christianity
The Catholic Church, and Christian authorities in general, have always been wary of amulets and other talismans. However, the legitimate use of sacramentals, as long as one has the proper disposition, is encouraged in traditional Christianity. For example, the crucifix is considered a powerful apotropaic against demons and fallen spirits, and rosaries or St. Christopher medals are frequently hung on rear-view mirrors of vehicles in Christian cultures as a way of invoking God's protection during travel.
Lay Catholics are not permitted to perform exorcisms but they can use Holy water, blessed salt and other sacramentals such as the Saint Benedict Medal or the Crucifix for warding off evil.[6]
Crucifix
The Crucifix is one of the key Sacramentals used by Catholics and has been used to ward off evil for centuries. The imperial cross of Conrad II (1024-1039) referred to the power of the cross against evil.[7] Many of the early theologians of the Catholic Church made reference to use of the sign of the Cross by Christians to bless and to ward off demonic influences.
The crucifix is still widely used as an talismanic sacramental by Christians. In Christian culture, it is considered to be one of the most effective means of averting or opposing demons, as stated by many exorcists, including the famous exorcist of the Vatican, Father Gabriele Amorth.[8]
Medals
A well-known amulet among Catholic Christians is the Saint Benedict Medal which includes the Vade Retro Satana formula to ward off Satan. This medal has been in use at least since the 18th century and in 1742 it received the approval of Pope Benedict XIV. It later became part of the Roman Catholic ritual.[9]
Scapulars
Some Catholic Sacramentals are believed to defend against evil, by virtue of their association with a specific saint or archangel. The Scapular of St. Michael the Archangel is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular associated with Archangel Michael, the chief enemy of Satan. Pope Pius IX gave this scapular his blessing, but it was first formally approved under Pope Leo XIII.
The form of this scapular is somewhat distinct, in that the two segments of cloth that constitute it have the form of a small shield; one is made of blue and the other of black cloth, and one of the bands likewise is blue and the other black. Both portions of the scapular bear the well-known representation of the Archangel St. Michael slaying the dragon and the inscription "Quis ut Deus?" meaning Who is like God?.[10]
Holy water
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (number 301) specifically refers to the use of Holy water for "protection from the powers of darkness".[11] Catholic saints have written about the power of Holy water as a force that repels evil. Saint Teresa of Avila, a Doctor of the Church who reported visions of Jesus and Mary, was a strong believer in the power of Holy water and wrote that she used it with success to repel evil and temptations.[12]
Islam
Muslims also wear such amulets, called Ta'wiz, with chosen text from Quran. The text is generally chosen depending on the situation for which the amulet is intended. Generally however, usage of amulets and other talismans is considered superstitious among more radical Muslims.
Amulets and talismans in folklore
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Amulets and talismans vary considerably according to their time and place of origin. In many societies, religious objects serve as amulets. A religious amulet might be the figure of a certain god or simply some symbol representing the deity (such as the cross for Christians or the "eye of Horus" for the ancient Egyptians). In Thailand, one can commonly see people with more than one Buddha hanging from their necks; in Bolivia and some places in Argentina the god Ekeko furnishes a standard amulet, to whom one should offer at least one banknote to obtain fortune and welfare.
For the ancient Scandinavians, Anglo-Saxons and Germans and currently for some Neopagan believers the rune Eoh (yew) protects against evil and harm; a non-alphabetical rune representing Thor's hammer still offers protection against thieves in some places.
Deriving from the ancient Celts, the clover, if it has four leaves, symbolises good luck (not the Irish shamrock, which symbolises the Christian Trinity). In the celtic tradition a bag made from a crane skin (called a crane bag) symbolised treasure, a wheel symboled the sun, a boat also was a sun symbol, but also a death symbol (to the land of the dead), the raven was a symbol of death, the head was a symbol of wisdom as was the acorn and a well.
In Tyrol, it is believed that small bells make demons escape when they sound in the wind or when a door or window opens. Amulets are also worn on the upper right arm to protect the person wearing it.
Some forms of Buddhism have a deep and ancient talismanic tradition. In the earliest days of Buddhism, just after the Buddha's death circa 485 B.C., amulets bearing the symbols of Buddhism were common. Symbols such as conch shells, the footprints of the Buddha, and others were commonly worn. After about the 2nd century B.C., Greeks began carving actual images of the Buddha. These were hungrily acquired by native Buddhists in India, and the tradition spread.[13]
During the tumultuous Plains Indians troubles in mid-19th century America, the Lakota Tribe adopted the Ghost Dance ritual, created by a Paiute Indian living in northwestern Oregon. Black Elk, the great Lakota Holy Man, received instructions on how to create a talismanic shirt that would protect the Lakota from the Greedy White Man's bullets. Tragically, the shirts failed to offer the Lakota any protection.
In addition to protection against supernatural powers, amulets are also used for protection against other people. For example, soldiers and those involved in other dangerous activities may use talismans to increase their luck. Carlist soldiers wore a medal of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the inscription ¡Detente bala! ("Stop, bullet!").
See also
- Evil eye
- Nazar (amulet)
- Hamsa
- Apotrope
- Folk religion
- Painted pebbles
- Touch pieces
- Ta'wiz
- curse tablet
Notes
- ^ Tewfik Canaan, "The Decipherment of Arabic Talismans," The Formation of the Classical Islamic World 42 (2004): 125-149.
- ^ "King Solomon's amulets". Kabbala Corner. http://www.kabbalah-corner.com/king-solomons-amulets.asp. Retrieved December 11, 2006.
- ^ "The Hamsa Hand". Lucky Mojo. http://www.luckymojo.com/hamsahand.html. Retrieved December 11, 2006.
- ^ "JewishBazaar homepage". JewishBazaar.com. http://www.jewishbazaar.com. Retrieved December 11, 2006.
- ^ "Ahuva homepage". Ahuva.com. http://www.ahuva.com/. Retrieved December 11, 2006.
- ^ Rosemarie Scott, 2006 'Clean of Heart' ISBN 0977223450 page 63
- ^ e encyclopedia of Christianity By Erwin Fahlbusch, Eerdmans Publishing, 1999ISBN 0802824137 page 737
- ^ Boston Catholic Journal
- ^ Lea, Henry Charles (1896) A History of Auricular Confession and Indulgences in the Latin Church Philadelphia: Lea Brothers & Co.
- ^ Ann Ball, 2003, Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices OSV Press ISBN 087973910X page 520
- ^ Thoms O'Brian, An Advanced Catechism Of Catholic Faith And Practice, Kessinger Publishers, 2005, ISBN 1417984473, page 151
- ^ Tessa Bielecki, Mirabai Starr, 2008 Teresa of Avila: The Book of My Life ISBN 1590305736 pp 238-241
- ^ "Siamese Dream homepage". Siamese Dream of California. http://www.siamese-dream.com. Retrieved December 11, 2006.
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amulets |
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Look up amulet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- Gonzalez-Wippler, Migene (2001). Complete Book Of Amulets & Talismans. Lewellyn Publications. ISBN 0-87542-287-X.
- S.C. Plinius (1964). Natural History. London.
External links
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| Translations: Amulet |
Français (French)
n. - amulette
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - φυλαχτό, χαϊμαλί
Português (Portuguese)
n. - amuleto (m), talismã (m)
Español (Spanish)
n. - amuleto
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - amulett
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
护身符
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 護身符
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - お守り, 魔除け, 護符
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) تعويذه, حجاب
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