Obj. ID: 36161
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Amulet, El Jadida (Mazagan), 1918

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.

The use of the hamsa is ubiquitous in Morocco as a protection against the "Evil Eye". The form comes in a wide variety of shapes, styles and materials. This example is particularly large with an elaborate design and carries the unusual additions of a fish, symbolizing plenty and fertility, and two small cast hamsas. This makes for a most unusual combination of decorative symbols. As large as this hamsa is, it was still worn hung from a woman's necklace as a part of her jewelry. The symbol of the fish, often associated with fertility and plenty, probably indicates that this amulet was made for use by a woman seeking to become pregnant. The extra small hamsas on the larger one add to the strength of the amulet. On the back are silver marks from the city of El Jadida, from which very few examples of such hamsas are known.