Obj. ID: 35839
Sacred and Ritual Objects Amulet, Iran, circa 1875
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.
There are more surviving silver amulets from Iran than from any other area. Within this large quantity of amulets, there are a number of distinctive groups of similar form. This type is round, concave and engraved with the particular style of hollow lettering in Hebrew seen here. They are very often inscribed with the invocation "Ben Porat Yosef" in addition to other Kabbalistic names and phrases for the protection of the wearer. This complete example would help explain how women were able to wear such amulets on their arms with comfort, through the cushioning of the filled pad.