Amulet
amulets charms charm
AMULET (in late Latin amuletum, probably from the Arabic hamalet, a pendant), anything worn as a charm, generally, but not invariably, hung from the neck, to protect the wearer against witchcraft, sickness, accidents, and other evils, or to deliver him from ills under which he labours. Amulets have been of many different
kinds, and formed of different substances, - stones, metals, and strips of parchment being the most common, with or without characters or legends engraved or written on them. Gems have often been employed and greatly prized, serving for ornaments as well as for charms. Certain herbs, too, and animal preparations have been used in the same way. In setting them apart to their use as amulets, great precautions have been taken that fitting
times be selected, stellar and other magic influences propitious, and everything avoided that might be supposed to destroy or weaken the force of the charm. From the earliest ages the Oriental races have had a firm belief in the prevalence of occult evil influences, and a superstitious trust in amulets and similar preservatives against them. There are references to, and apparently correctives of,
these customs in the Mosaic injunctions to bind portions of the law upon the hand and as frontlets; between the eyes, as well as write them upon the door-posts and the gates ; but, among the later Jews especially, the original design and meaning of these usages were lost sight of ; and though it has been said that the phylacteries were not strictly amulets, there is no doubt that they were held
in superstitious regard. Amulets were much used by the ancient Egyptians, and also among the Greeks and Romans. We find traces of them too in the early Christian church, in the emphatic protests of Chrysostom, Augustine, and others against them. The fish was a favourite symbol on these charms, from the word 1x011s being the initials of 'I'ocroi3s Xpto-rOs Oca IV); o-corfjp A firm faith in amulets
still prevails widely among Asiatic nations. The accompanying woodcut represents the boxes employed to hold written charms worn by Arab women at the present day. Talisman, also from the Arabic, is a word of similar meaning and use, but some distinguish it as importing a more powerful charm. A talisman, whose "virtues are still applied to for stopping blood and in cases of canine madness," figures
prominently in, and gives name to, one of Scott's Tales of the Crusaders. A measure of belief in amulets or charms exists, but appears to be diminishing, among the uneducated of our own country and time. (See Arpe, De .Prodigiis Naturce et Artis Operibus Talismanes et Amuleta dictis, Hamburg, 1717; E wele, Ueber Anzulete, 1827; and Kopp's Palceographica Critzca, vols. iii. and iv., 1829.) 
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