Small Things, Big Meaning: The Enduring Story of the Amulet

 

There is always something you own that you just can’t bring yourself to get rid of. Could be a coin, a pebble, or a charm that your grandmother forced into your hand before an exam. It is most likely not an item that you consider to be lucky, and if someone asked you about it, you would laugh. Yet you would definitely notice if it suddenly went missing.

That quiet attachment is as old as humanity itself. It is the instinctbehind the amulet.

What is an amulet?

The word is believed to derive from the Latin word amuletum, a term which Pliny the Elder employed in his Natural History nearly two thousand years ago, although the origin of the Latin word itself is uncertain. The practice is far older, so it comes as no surprise that the amulet has been part of human culture for a long time. In simple terms, an amulet is an item worn as a charm to protect the wearer from misfortune or illness.

It is frequently mixed up with the term related to it - the talisman.

A good distinction to remember, broadly speaking, is that an amulet provides protection, whereas a talisman attracts things such as power, luck or courage. The amulet keeps evil away, and the talisman draws in power, luck or courage. Nevertheless, the distinction between the two is often unclear. A protective charm worn for luck is still a well-worn charm, and that’s all that matters.

A journey through the ages

Ancient Egypt was inhabited by people who used amulets. The symbols were fashioned from stone, glass, metal, and faience, a glazed ceramic-like material. The scarab beetle was a popular choice as a token of renewal and was worn both in life and in death. The Eye of Horus, known as the wedjat, is one of the most lasting amulet symbols in history and remains popular to this day.

●      In ancient Rome, freeborn boys wore a small pendant known as a bulla.

●      It was believed to protect them throughout childhood and was then set aside when they reached maturity.

●      If you continue northwards, you will discover that the Vikings regarded amulets very highly.

●      A number of them were small copies of Thor’s hammer, which were worn on a cord or chain and have been found in graves and settlements across Scandinavia.

●      They probably served as an expression of devotion, as well as giving a sense of comfort and courage.

The hamsa is also a popular amulet used by both Jews and Muslims, especially in North Africa and the Middle East. It is shaped like an open hand, usually showing an eye, and has been popular for centuries. Meanwhile, the nazar, a blue glass eye-shaped charm, is worn in Turkey and in the eastern Mediterranean regions. It is still common to find them hanging from the rear-view mirrors of cars and to wear them as a means of protection against envy.

Why do we still reach for them?

Superstitions are often dismissed in modern society, and amulets can seem out of place in an age of science. Yet people do still wear them, and psychologists have some reasonable explanations for this.

1.     Some researchers believe that the simple act of wearing a lucky charm can have a positive effect on the mind, even if it is thought that the charm has no power in it.

2.     For instance, some studies suggest that carrying a lucky item can boost self-confidence, although the effects are modest.

3.     Amulets, just as other objects of sentimental value, can serve as a place where one’s emotions are stored.

4.     The reasons for choosing to wear an item are often deeply personal and are closely linked to the item’s history.

5.     For some people, the comfort derived from knowing that they have someone, or something, alongside them who has seen them at their best, at their worst, and in their most vulnerable moments is extremely valuable.

It’s simply human. We are symbol-makers, after all, and we have always wanted to make our hopes palpable: something we can hold, carry and keep close.

A story that lives in your jewellery

Why are amulets such an interesting kind of jewellery? Well, amuletsare symbols that have had significance long before they became popular. Each individual symbol is part of a history extending over hundreds, if not thousands, of years, and thus wearing it links us to people from other times.

Amulets are also very personal to each individual. For example, you might see a certain amulet as a symbol of faith, while someone else might regard it as a family heirloom. There is nothing correct or incorrect about it. To each, their own.

Finding the piece that speaks to you

When you wish to buy an amulet, there are a number of points to take into account before making your choice. You have a sea of different types of amulets to choose from. You should consider what you would like to achieve in life and what you feel you need the most support with.

You do not have to believe in magic to appreciate the sentiment. Sometimes a small, well-loved object is enough to remind you of who you are and what you are holding onto. And that, perhaps, has always been the real power ofthe amulet.