Obj. ID: 11550
Sacred and Ritual Objects Amulet, Eretz Israel, circa 1930
The following description was prepared by William Gross:
From earliest times, man has tried to protect himself from misfortune by the use of objects which he considered holy or otherwise (e.g., magically) potent. Amulets and talismans are items generally worn around the neck or wrist, carried in a pocket or purse or hung on a wall. They are meant to protect or aid those who carried or wore them. The Hebrew word for amulet, kame‘a, has the root meaning "to bind". Jewish amulets are usually comprised of texts (either letters or graphic symbols) that are inscribed on some sort of material; some may also contain plant matter or precious stones. The texts of amulets usually include holy names that are believed to have the ability to affect reality, along with incantations summoning angels or other magical powers. For the most part, an amulet has a specific purpose: to ease childbirth, facilitate recovery from illness, improve one’s livelihood, and so on, but in the modern world many are also made for general protection.
Obviously patterned after the type of amulet used in Kurdistan, this amulet uses a specific Jerusalem text with the title "The Crown of Zion is Jerusalem". While the shape is the same as those from Kurdistan, the type of letters, the lack of charts of letters and symbols and the long text on both sides of the amulet all indicate this type of amulet that was fashioned in Jerusalem. The amulet was made for Sarah Varda the daughter of Hamail and was made for "A complete recovery and happiness and joy forever". As in many other amulets the inscription records names of various angels, the abbreviation of "Ana Ba-koach" which serves as the 42-letter name of God and various other amuletic formulas.
Inscription: The Crown of Zion (is) Jerusalem......... This is the amulet in the name of Sarah Varda, daughter of Hamail, for a complete recovery and happiness and joy forever......