Amulets: The Material Evidence

Abstract

Physical evidence for magical practice in modern England survives in the form of amulets, of which over 1,700 remain in museum collections. Amulets can be defined as portable charms to guard against negative influences, or to encourage positive ones — a fossil to keep away lightning, a hag stone to guard against witchcraft, a mole’s foot to fight cramp (Photograph 11.A), or simply a silver charm against bad luck. They are sometimes worn as jewellery, but can be kept in the pocket, sewn into clothing, concealed or displayed in homes or in barns, on agricultural animals or on vehicles. This chapter looks at the physical form of the amulets that survive and the documentation that accompanies them. It considers what these can tell us about the people who made and used amulets, the powers they invested in these objects, and what the material evidence can reveal about the problems these people faced and the issues that were foremost in their minds.