Amuletic pear-shaped pendant

Amuletic pear-shaped pendant

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Silver pear shaped pendant, with writings engraved on it from the Koran, with silver square rupee used for headaches, Near East, 1880-1930

The practice of carrying amulets or charms to bring good luck or good health through protection against disease has an extremely long history. Both the pear-shaped pendant and rupee are engraved with writings from the Qu’ran, the holy book of Islam. The pendant was carried to prevent headaches.

Details

Category:
Ethnography and Folk Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A111473
Materials:
silver
Measurements:
square: 2 mm x 21 mm x 21 mm,
rupee: 3 mm x 21 mm x 21 mm,
pendant: 5 mm x 50 mm x 80 mm, .022 kg
type:
pendant
credit:
Wellcome Trust (Purchased from Stevens)