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African diaspora archaeology has its roots in American plantation archaeology of the 1960s and 1970s. One of the first artifacts recovered from these contexts was the simple blue glass bead, recognized by some as signifying retentions of African belief. Simultaneously emerging in the 1970s was the field of historical mortuary archaeology, in which graves of African Americans were treated as archaeological resources for the first time. When these graves were studied scientifically, greater emphasis was placed on the skeletal biology than associated grave goods, and a very different set of questions was explored. Combining these two fields, this study documents a heretofore unrecognized pattern of not blue, but black beads and white beads—almost exclusively associated with infants and women––and ties these color choices and demographic patterns to specific West African cultures and the underlying meanings of womanhood, marriage, fertility, birth, and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article attempts to critically examine David Graeber's social creativity theory, by appropriating Igor Kopytoff's theory of "cultural biography of things." Graeber focused on the creation of social relations through agreement to fetish. Although he himself noted the importance of circulation of fetish, he did not trace the actual circulation in detail, and described the society created through the agreement as monolithic. However, looking into the detail of circulation enables us to disclose the complexity of society. Here, appropriating Kopytoff's theory of "cultural biography of things" will be profitable to discuss the circulation of fetishes as things and to analyze the creation of social relationship in more depth. Kopytoff argued that through exchange, a thing acquires a unique biography as the history of its movements between two spheres; the "singular" and the "commodity." I analyze the circulation of typical amulet called chimaki in Kyoto, Japan in order to bring to light the significance of focusing on things in anthropology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the excavation of Ottoman Empire era Sudanese amulets from the Qasr Ibrim archaeological site in Lower Nubia, Egypt. Topics explored include the magical powers of healing and protection being linked to amulets, the history and archaeological operations of the Egypt Exploration Society (EES) in Qasr Ibrim, and the study into the organic objects and fabric used to wrap the amulets.

Belief in the Evil Eye is strong in the Mediterranean region and equivalent practices based on ancient beliefs continue to exist across Anatolia today. In this context, the evil eye belief of Turkic peoples dates to early times within a pre-Islamic religious framework. Even with the Turks' acceptance of Islam, evil eye belief continued side by side with the new faith. Over time, humans have developed practices to avoid evil and minimize fear and have likewise conferred power on prophylactic objects, combined with ritual practice, to ensure good fortune. Amulets based on such beliefs have an important place as protective items and are still found in popular use across Anatolia to prevent the negative outcomes of the envious gaze. In various forms and materials, they constitute a ubiquitous, if seldom studied, element of Turkish material culture. This paper presents and describes some common examples providing contextual information about their usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide range of objects were used in rituals and their purpose was to mediate divine power in the Graeco-Roman world. These included amulets, which were objects commonly inscribed with mysterious formulae and used by mainly pagans as a protection against numerous illnesses, as well as witchcraft, occultism, curse tablets, magical gems and also magical bowls. There were also magical handbooks and binding spells. Each of these reside under the category of magical texts or objects. These objects were believed to be effective based on their messages and also the sense of power that they were believed to possess which was magical. Their messages often went together with a ritual curse. Magic was basically based on the belief that the divine elements could be exposed to manipulation by different means including inter alia sacrifices, charms, and even gifts. This obvious misinterpretation of God’s character assumed that one could acquire God’s favour through ‘buying’ it. This article briefly considers such objects in a biblical literature perspective, and how they were often used as means to mediate divine power.

Glass in ancient Egypt appeared in the New Kingdom. It was a novel and highly prized material, which quickly found favor with the elite. The first known glass sculpture in the round depicted the Egyptian ruler Amenhotep II. The purposes for which glass was used overlap with those traditionally known for objects made in faience, and both materials can be regarded as artificial versions of semiprecious stones, notably turquoise, lapis lazuli, and green feldspar. The techniques by which glass was worked in the Pharaonic period fall into two broad groups—the forming of vessels around a friable core, which was subsequently removed, and the casting of glass in molds to make solid objects. The vessels produced by core forming were almost invariably small, a matter of a few centimeters in height, and were mainly used for precious substances such as unguents. Cast items included sculpture as well as inlays and small amulets.

More than 250 beads and pendants have been registered from the Harbor Temple and its surroundings, the so-called “harbor temenos”, in the Red Sea port of Berenike. The Harbor Temple assemblage is dominated by South Asian glass beads dating from the 4th through early 6th centuries AD, but the bead finds from the presumed temenos show much greater variety in both type and date, the latter spanning the centuries from the 1st to the 5th century AD. Rather than being accidentally lost, the quantity and find context of the beads support the idea of a votive offering function. Stylistic similarities of some objects found in the Harbor Temple have led to their association with South Arabia or Axum (Rądkowska, Sidebotham, and Zych 2013); yet a much closer affiliation might also be considered. Similar ritual objects, as well as beads and pendants, have been recorded at contemporary temples and shrines in Nubia

The paper deals with artefacts with a possible apotropaic function from the Early Iron Age cemetery of Quattro Fontanili at Veii. I have analysed mostly various types of pendants and beads that could have had – besides their ornamental function – also a symbolic meaning of ‘magical’ protection (e.g. as amulets etc.). They ap‑ pear more often in children’s and women’s graves, less frequently in men’s graves. The gender and age seem likely to be more important factors in the role of protection than social status. However, pendants made of precious metals could have reflected – besides their role as symbols of a higher social status – a protective meaning as well. The frequent use of ‘magical’ artefacts, especially in children’s and women’s graves, reflects the need to protect the weaker members of the society from evil forces.

Maulana Abdul Majeed Ludhyanvi was a great scholar of Islam.Interpretation Tibyan ul Furqan is collection of his lectures Which delivered in the front of students many years.This is Modern Interpretation of this era and contains modern issues.He translated the verses in a sequence.At the end of Surah Fatiha,he explained the importance of aameen.In the beginning of every surah,he explained the name of surah,number of verses,raku, and Makki and Madni.All the interpretationers and jurists agree that number of verses of surah Fatiha is seven.The amulet and its legal status are described .Mentioned the special qualities of some surahs.He described name of surah and place of descent .He also described literal,syntactic and metaphorical research,surah linking.He summarized the essays of Makki surahs, mentioned jurisprudence and modern jurisprudence .he mentioned a list of topics at the beginning of each volume,these are the topics mentioned in the interpretation of this volume verses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Trashumante. Revista Americana de Historia Social is the property of Universidad de Antioquia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Mare Nostrum is the property of Revista Mare Nostrum and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Themedical propertiesattributed tometals andstones wereconnectedtoaseries ofaspects that mingled with each other in a pedect harmonicfusion: astrology. religion, magic and alchemy. mineralogy and color that, besides to transmit energy and jascination, for some magical-sympathetic correspondences, it referred to parts of the human body and to specific diseases. This incomparable harmony, however, does not allow us to recognize the borders or prevalences Of one or the other Of these aspects without getting lost in the labyrinth ofsymbols of the vast world of Graeco-Ronian magic. From the reading of Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia, ancient Lapidari and some of the many studies on the magical-medical aspect of the amulets. it is a brief synthesis, privileging as far as possible, the color and symbolic aspect of the stones, without however being able to completely neglect the epigraphic-lexical and mythical-religious references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the charm bracelet company Alex and Ani (A&A), founded by jewelry designer Carolyn Rafaelian in 2004 in Cranston, Rhode Island. Topics include the history of primordial charms as amulets and talismans against evil spirits, the history of charm bracelets, and the financial history of A&A.

This paper examines ancient glyptics that provide evidence for the merging of the cults of Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom and writing, and Graeco-Roman Hermes/Mercury. With the use of semantics and iconological methodologies, the paper demonstrates that the popularity of the syncretic deity Hermes-Thoth was far greater than previously thought and, in fact, comparable to that of other syncretic figures, such as Hermanubis. This is possible because the analysis is not limited to the iconography of magical gems that clearly refer to this deity represented in figural form, but also encompasses symbolic amulets featuring rebuses which, if properly read, refer to Hermes-Thoth as well. It is argued that kerykeion was not the only Hellenising element used to mark Hermes's nature in the cult of Hermes-Thoth. The article also contributes to the wider discussion on the identification and function of magical gems and amulets in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magical texts represent an inexhaustible source for the phenomena of an ancient language for special purposes. The scope of this paper is limited to the different kinds of word-borrowings in the Pannonian set of curse tablets. One-language, well written and easily readable magical texts can be difficult to understand while explicit and unambiguous wording is expected in such practical genre like curses which level at definite persons. Harmful curse tablets and protective amulets, however, can be obscure. This study aims to give a comprehensive account of the possible reasons why these texts have a cloudy style, with special outlook of parallel phrases in Greek pieces of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide range of objects were used in rituals and their purpose was to mediate divine power in the Graeco-Roman world. These included amulets, which were objects commonly inscribed with mysterious formulae and used by mainly pagans as a protection against numerous illnesses, as well as witchcraft, occultism, curse tablets, magical gems and also magical bowls. There were also magical handbooks and binding spells. Each of these reside under the category of magical texts or objects. These objects were believed to be effective based on their messages and also the sense of power that they were believed to possess which was magical. Their messages often went together with a ritual curse. Magic was basically based on the belief that the divine elements could be exposed to manipulation by different means including inter alia sacrifices, charms, and even gifts. This obvious misinterpretation of God's character assumed that one could acquire God's favour through 'buying' it. This article briefly considers such objects in a biblical literature perspective, and how they were often used as means to mediate divine power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Croatica et Slavica Iadertina is the property of University of Zadar, Department of Croatian & Slavic Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Amulet of Rudolf II is symptomatic of the eclectic and manifold interests pursued at the imperial court in Prague around 1600. Astrology, theology, mineralogy, (Christian) Kabbalah, and magic condense in this small but exquisite Kunstkammerstück which allows for an insightful reconstruction of the emperor's intellectual milieu. This essay closely examines the amulet's enigmatic design and presents suggestions for contextualizing the many layers of meaning within the concept of pansophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the historiographical review of publications dated by late XIX - early XXI centuries and containing information about amulets and talismans of the Egyptian faience, found in the settlements and burial grounds in Rostovskaya region. In order to refi ne the circumstances of identifi cation and origin of some objects, catalogues and archives where these objects were published were additionally used. This article is the fi rst experience in the Russian historiography related to the history of publishing of faience objects of certain shapes found on the territory of Rostovskaya region.

The Cairo Geniza has proved to be a fascinating trove of information about all aspects of Jewish life in the medieval and early modern period, magic being one of them. Hundreds of manuscripts, in different states of conservation, testify to the interest of Jews in composing and copying magical manuals as well as producing amulets and curses and otherwise attempting to harness the supernatural in order to achieve earthly aims. This essay introduces the reader to Geniza magical texts and provides some guidelines for reading these documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

That the Inquisition's interests were, however, somewhat broader in scope is well evidenced by its trial of Sellem bin al-Sheikh Mansur, who was the son of an Egyptian astrologer and was captured by the Knights and enslaved in Malta sometime in the late sixteenth century. Sellem Din al-Sheikh Mansur and the Roman inquisition, 1605 In 1605 Sellem was denounced to the Inquisition for practising magic at the behest of some local Christians. [Extracted from the article]

Left atrial appendage, occlusion, closure, chicken wing, Amplatzer steerable sheath Keywords: Left atrial appendage; occlusion; closure; Amplatzer steerable sheath; chicken wing EN Left atrial appendage occlusion closure Amplatzer steerable sheath chicken wing 367 368 2 05/16/23 20230501 NES 230501 A 61 year-old male with chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) and previous major gastrointestinal bleeding under oral anticoagulation was referred to our institution for percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO). [Extracted from the article]

The author analyzes the development traditions of the costume and associated attire of adornments characteristic of the Slavs and Khazar Khaganate peoples. In 6th – 7th centuries the Slavs wore decorated clothing fastened with fibulae and an attire of large adornments mainly composed of metal. Since 8th century the attire became lighter, but the massive shapes of torcs and bracelets remained. Among the adornments crafted in Ancient Rus during 10th century were a silver jewellery filigree attire and widespread military amulets, whereas the amulets related to settled peaceful lifestyle took the shape of clusters on chains. The Khazar people wore buttoned clothing, their textile headdresses developed on the basis of the sheet style and was combined with earrings. They wore signet rings, stone and glass beads, but torcs and bracelets were not characteristic. A developed culture of amulets is associated with solar cults, fertility and the animal world. The difference in traditions is related to the various economies and household organization of settled and nomadic peoples. A similar tradition is reflected in the attire of jewellery adornments which had become widespread by 10th century. Combination of these attires, according to the author, was only possible in forms which did not interfere with the traditions of two different systems: a primarily metal attire of the a lighter attire of nomads largely consisting of natural materials.

What are amulets? How are they situated in the larger narrative of European healing? Varied and complex objects, amulets present both challenges and opportunities for historians and museums alike. Yet an examination of these often-overlooked items within a medical context can provide significant information about cure and protection over different times and geographies. This article analyses ten amulets from the Science Museum collections, and asks what we can learn from exploring these objects’ material features and varying functions. It argues for a re-consideration of amulets from their categorisation by nineteenth- and twentieth-century collectors and classification by modern museums, to their recognition as a significant part of the history of healing.

[full article, abstract in English; abstract in Lithuanian] The amulets referred to in this paper were found mainly in the eastern part of the Frankish tribal lands. There, in the Rhineland, Christianity did not hold as much ground in the 6th and 7th centuries as during later periods. Therefore, members of the Frankish aristocracy (a clear indication of the social strata the owners of the jewelry belonged to are the materials, i.e., precious metals, that the pieces were made of) preferred to rely on tried and tested amulets based on the native religious conventions rather than on Christian imagery (e.g., baptismal crosses).