Obj. ID: 37501
Sacred and Ritual Objects Amulet, Ukraine, circa 1900
The following description was prepared by William Gross:
This is an example of a type of inexpensive, easily cast lead amulet that has only recently come to light. The disovery came because of extensive use of metal detectors by amateur explorers in the FSU, primarily in the Ukraine, where such amulets have been uncovered in both quantity and variety. In the Gross Family Collection there are more than 60 different variations. It is clear that they were a very popular protective talisman, worn by numberous Jewish children.
This is an example of a round "Heh' type amulet created for a male child to be hung around his neck on a string or chain for protection of the newly born child. In the center of the obverse is the single, large decorated letter "Heh" of the monogrammaton with the letter "Shin" underneath. On the reverse is the blessing for the child to grow "to the Torah, to the Chupah and to good deeds" surounding the center image of a double headed eagle, the only occurance of this symbol on a lead amulet in the Gross Family Collection.