Obj. ID: 36975 Amulet, Casablanca, circa 1940
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.
Most birth amulets are intended to ward off the evil spirit of Lilith whose intent is to kill a new born child. One of the amuletic symbols used for this is the sword. Representations of this can be found in Jewish cultures as diverse as southern Germany, Kurdistan and Morocco. In Morocco a sword was taken into the house of a woman giving birth and waved in each room to frighten away Lilith. This amulet is in the form of a sword, and has fine decoration. The sword, or "Tajdid" in Arabic, are against Lilith and indicate the use of this talisman as a birth amulet for protection of both mother and child. This small form was probably an element for a necklace or another piece of larger jewelry.This miniature gold weapon is patterned after the traditional shape of that worn by Moroccan males. This example is used as a piece of jewelry.