Obj. ID: 36583 Amulet, Iraqi Kurdistan, circa 1930
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 is an amulet bracelet from Kurdistan. The links are delicately engraved with many different Names, including the names of many angels. It is apparently intended for general protection and also specifically against illness, fears and bad thoughts. Perhaps one is made for the mother and one for the child. The size of this bracelet indicates that it was made for a child. Jewish children in Kudistan generally carried amulets, a reflection of the times and place as well as the normal worrying of parents.
Inscription: Amuletic "names" and formulas