Lesson #6 (March) - Talismans

Unlike amulets, which are specifically designed to keep the wearer safe from harm, talismans are valued for their ability to produce supernatural transformations; making their owners invisible, inhumanly strong, immune to disease, or even able to remember everything ever said to them. A talisman can be any kind of object; a statue, a book, a ring, a necklace, piece of paper, etc. Some objects, such as gemstones, have been traditionally thought as magical by nature. But throughout history most talismans have been endowed with their potency through rituals intended to harness the forces of nature. Many were inscribed with magic words, the names or images of deities, or brief charms.

Talismans were very much in demand in the ancient world. Archaeologists have discovered papyrus talismans from ancient Egypt, as well as hundreds of stone and metal talismans throughout the Mediterranean region. Talismans were especially popular for curing illness, but they were also used to attract love, improve memory, and to ensure success in sports, politics, and even gambling.

In medieval times, there was a talisman for just about every purpose you could think of. Tying a hare's foot to the left arm was said to enable a person to venture into dangerous territory without the risk of harm. Carrying mistletoe would prevent a guilty verdict for those on trial. Having a sprig of the herb heliotrope bundled with a wolf's toothand wrapped in laurel leaves would stop people from gossiping about you. So great was the the belief in the power of talismans in fourteenth-century England that rule for dueling were revised to require that each participant swear he was not carrying a magic ring, stone, or other talisman that would give him an unfair advantage.

Talismans remained popular into the nineteenth century, when one all-purpose talisman engraved on silver during the proper phase of the moon was said to be able to make the owner healthy, wealthy, pleasant, cheerful, honored by others, and able to make journeys safely.