Defining Amulets:
•according to Guiley: “Originally, amulets were natural objects whose unusual shapes or colors attracted attention. The magical properties of such objects were presumed to be inherent. As civilization advanced, amulets became more diverse. They were fashioned into animal shapes, symbols, rings, seals and plaques, and were imbued with magical power with inscriptions or spells.” (9)
•also magical words, characteres and pictorial/abstract arrangement of letters/words
• as Luck explains: “The word amulet is probably derived from amolitum – containing the idea of averting – to move away (19)
• he goes on: “Any devotee of magic, whether gentile, Jew, or Christian, could wear amulets, with their mixture of Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, and cabalistic elements, regardless of … faith or affiliation.” (19)
• The amulets carry the same formulas as the papyri, though these inscriptions were probably copied from the papyri in a more abbreviated and concentrated form.” (19)
• Luck notes the connection between the magical papyri and the amulets: “Again, it seems that the papyri were the working texts of the professional sorcerer and could be put to various uses.” (19)
• in antiquity the amulets worn were “often made of cheap materials” (Luck 18) as well as from precious stones, which were thought to have magical powers
• they were worn around the neck, the ankle and as rings
• some even guarded tombs, homes and buildings
• Guiley observes that there are “Two amuletic symbols that are nearly universal throughout history … eyes and phallic symbols Eyes protect against evil spirits and are found on many tombs and walls, and on utensils and jewelry. The phallic symbol, as represented by horns and hands, protects against the evil eye.” (10)
A phallus was seen as a frightening thing that warded evil. They were usually made of bronze and worn on necklaces, little mobiles above babies cribs, carved into houses etc. The bigger it was, the more powerful it was seen to be. That is why when we see statues and paintings of men in ancient times, they have small phalluses. It was more accepted that way. Also, they had statues in gardens that were in the shape of a phallus. These later became garden gnomes with red hats. Gargoyles act in the same way.
• Ouroboros (a symbol of the snake that touches its own tail) enclosing Harpocrates (Egyptian god Horus as Horus the Child) seated to front, on uterine symbol.
• A disk is on his head, his right hand to is to his lips, his left rests on the handle of a key.
• Round the design, inside ouroboros, are magical names.
Reading:
Betz, H. D. [ed] . The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation Including the Demotic Spells. Vol. 1. 2nd Ed. Chicago, 1992.
Guiley, R. E. The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft. New York, 1989. [General but quite good for introductory issues] .
Luck, G. Arcana Mundi: Magic and the Occult in the Greek and Roman Worlds. Baltimore, 1985.
