Red plaited and knotted thread necklace, Middle East, 1880-1935

SMG00167038 Red plaited and knotted thread worn round child's neck to Red plaited and knotted thread worn round child'd neck to

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

Buy this image as a print 

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

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

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SMG00167038
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Red plaited and knotted thread worn round child's neck to
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Red plaited and knotted thread worn round child'd neck to
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Red plaited and knotted thread worn round child's neck to prevent nosebleeds, Middle Eastern(?), 1880-1935

Medical treatment based on belief and superstition – customs that often went back generations – continued to be practised in the 1800s and 1900s despite the growing influence of biomedicine. This thread necklace was used to prevent nosebleeds in children and adults. As well as being annoying for a person, sudden nosebleeds were considered to be bad luck.

The knotted thread was purchased in 1930 from Edward Lovett’s (1852-1933) collection of amulets and charms. Lovett was interested in folk remedies nearly all his life and began collecting from the age of eight.

Details

Category:
Ethnography and Folk Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A666047
Materials:
threads, cotton
Measurements:
overall: 260 mm x 30 mm,
type:
amulet