The Ancestral Power of Amulets, Talismans, and Mascots

• Looks at the age-old spiritual principles, folklore, and esoteric traditions behind the creation of magical objects as well as the use of numbers, colors, sigils, geometric emblems, knots, crosses, pentagrams, and other symbols • Explores hundreds of artifacts, such as hagstones, Norse directional amulets, car hood mascots, objects made from bones and teeth, those connected with plants and animals, charms associated with gambling, and religious relics • Includes photos of artifacts from the author's extensive collection Offering an illustrated exploration of the origins and history of amulets, lucky charms, talismans, and mascots, including photos of unique and original artifacts from his extensive collection, Nigel Pennick examines these objects from a magical perspective, from ancient Egypt to the present. He looks at the age-old spiritual principles, folklore, and esoteric traditions behind their creation as well as the use of numbers, colors, sigils, geometric emblems, knots, crosses, pentagrams, and other symbols. He explores the magic of objects from the mineral world, such as crystals, hagstones, graveyard dust, Norse directional amulets, car hood mascots, horseshoes, and the magic properties of various metals. He examines the spiritual significance of glass and looks at amulets and talismans connected with plants, including four-leaf clovers and mistletoe, and with animals and birds, such as the rabbit's foot and black cats. Pennick explores magical charms and objects manufactured from bones, teeth, claws, and horns and those that include symbols of the human body, such as objects with eyes, hands, and hearts. He looks at charms associated with gambling and the power of military mascots. He also discusses religious relics as well as the combining of charms to make more powerful objects, from the bind runes of the Norse and the crowns of ancient Egypt to the Mojo hand and the medicine pouch. Revealing the lasting power of amulets, talismans, charms, and mascots, Pennick shows that these objects and symbols have retained their magic across the centuries.

Introduction Lucky Charms, Amulets, and Mascots1 Functions2 The Attitude of Authority toward Amulets3 Amulets in Rationalism and Modernism4 Amulets, Talismans, Charms, and the Law5 Things, Objects, and Places6 Lucky Numbers, Randomness, and Numerology7 The Meaning of Numbers8 Lucky and Symbolic Colors9 Modernity's Approach to Colors10 Knots, Knotwork, and Binding Charms11 Witches' Ladders and Hangmen's Ropes12 Amuletic Stones13 Holed Stones and Rings14 Amuletic Gems15 Apotropaic and Magical Metal Items16 Nails and Horseshoes17 Bells18 Sun and Moon19 Coins20 The Warding Mirror: Reflections of the Invisible21 Trees, Plants, and Seeds22 Roots23 Animals and Their Images24 Dangerous and Unwanted Animals25 Birds and Their Images26 Teeth, Claws, and Horns27 Bones28 Bones and Other Parts of Human Bodies in Amuletic Medicine29 The Amuletic Body30 Eye and Hand31 The Heart32 Little People: Small Humanoid Images33 Signs and Symbols34 Mascots35 Military Mascots and Amulets36 Amulets and Talismans for Gambling37 Sacred Objects38 Amuletic Protection of Buildings39 Accretional AmuletsPostscript A Clash of Worldviews: Magicians and MuseumsAppendix 1 Collectors and CollectionsAppendix 2 Glossary of TermsBibliographyIndex