Obj. ID: 36836 Amulet, Bulgaria, circa 1900
sub-set tree:
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.
This example is a shield shaped amulet that comes from a home in Bulgaria. It is the only amulet in the Gross Family Collection with a provenance from that country. The talisman is cut from thin silver sheet in a shield shape and engraved on both sides; The obverse carries amuletic names while the reverse is engraved permutations of the tetragrammaton. It appears to be an amulet for general protection of the owner.