CHAPTER I

THE BOOK OF TALISMANS,

AMULETS AND ZODIACAL GEMS

[Illustration: GEMS, SYMBOLS, AND GLYPHS OF THE ZODIAC.

_Frontispiece._]

THE BOOK OF

TALISMANS, AMULETS

AND ZODIACAL GEMS

BY

WILLIAM THOMAS & KATE PAVITT

SECOND AND REVISED EDITION

WITH COLOURED FRONTISPIECE

AND TEN PLATES

LONDON

WILLIAM RIDER & SON, LTD.

CATHEDRAL HOUSE, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.

1922

_First Published 1914_

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED

TO

MRS. G. M. WALKER

WITH GRATEFUL THANKS FOR HER INTRODUCTION TO

AND INFORMATION ON A SUBJECT

WHICH FOR MANY YEARS HAS BEEN A SOURCE

OF MUCH INTEREST AND PLEASURE

PREFACE

The subject of Talismans and Gems of the Zodiac covers a wide area,

and the difficulty of arriving at a definite conclusion is increased

because of the varying opinions between writers on these subjects as to

the stones referred to, or intended by the Ancients, complicated still

further by the different languages from which these records have been

translated, and where Month or Zodiacal gems are referred to many of

the writers are obviously unacquainted with Astrology or Astronomy.

The present volume, being the result of many years of study and

research, it is not easy in all cases to specify the original

source of our information, which has been collected, not only from

ancient and modern writings, but also from personal experience and

experiments, noted at the time they occurred, long before this book

was contemplated. Again, we find that many, and more especially modern

authors, quote from one another in places, and the original source of

the information is obscure; we have, therefore, endeavoured to give

as far as possible our authorities, although, owing to the antiquity

of the subject, much is necessarily left to deduction and conjecture;

and it is more than probable there may be unintentional omissions, to

remedy which we give a list of books that we have at different times

consulted and studied with advantage.

We have endeavoured throughout to make the subjects dealt with as

interesting as possible, believing that the symbols expressing the

faiths of bygone days form the basis of occult forces, a proper

understanding of which is becoming more and more recognised by

scientists as necessary in the interests of progress at the present day.

It will be noticed that many of the gems have similar qualities

attributed to them which, according to the ancient authorities, were

specifically arranged for the benefit of those types whose planetary

aspects brought them into harmony with the particular stone specified.

With regard to characteristics dealt with in the second part of the

book, this must be regarded as general, and liable to variation

according to the remaining Planetary influences, which would be

indicated in a horoscope. With this proviso, the information given

will be found reliable and very helpful in giving a knowledge of our

own dispositions and those of our friends and associates and should

pave the way to a sympathy and understanding impossible without this

knowledge. It will also afford a simple and easy means of at least

proving there is something in Astrology, and if interest is aroused the

fullest information may be obtained by a study of the books mentioned,

dealing with the subject.

We have greatly benefited from the assistance given us by Mrs. G. M.

Walker in lending us scarce and valuable books for reference, and by G.

H. Greenop, Esq., kindly translating many old Greek and Latin writings;

we should also like to acknowledge our obligations to the Directors of

the British Museum for the facilities given in obtaining information,

and their permission to make drawings from the actual Talismans in

their collections.

WM. THOS. PAVITT

17 HANOVER SQUARE, LONDON, W.

_3rd August, 1914_

CONTENTS

PART I

CHAPTER I

PAGES

The Psychic and Magnetic Influence of Talismans and Gems 3-12

CHAPTER II

Talismans of Primitive Races--The Axe--Arrow-head--The

Swastika--The Serpent--The Interlaced Triangles 13-22

CHAPTER III

The Tau Cross--Aum Ma Ni Pad Me Hum--Indian Talismans--Ganesa

the Elephant-headed--Hanuman the Monkey God--The Eight

Glorious Emblems of Buddha--The Wheel of Life--The Conch

Shell--The Two Fishes--The Lucky Diagram--The Lotus--The

Frog--The Three Gems 23-33

CHAPTER IV

Talisman for Wisdom--Buddha’s Footprints--The Dorje--Knots--Chinese

Talismans--The Trigrams--The Five Bats--The Goose--Stork--Pine

Tree--Peach--Lucky Sentence--The Phœnix--The Dragon--Horse

Hoof--Siva’s Charm--The Money Sword--Red in Talismans--The

Lock--Bells--The Tortoise--The Tiger--Pigs--The

Black Cat 34-43

CHAPTER V

The Pear Charm--“Show Fu”--Jade--The Blue Gown for

Longevity--Japanese--The Tiger--Wolf--Fox--The

Thunder, Fire and Echo--The Fan of Power--Hotei,

the God of Contentment--The Eagle--The Millet

Dumpling--Carp--Sacred Dog--Stork--Tortoise--Crane--Child’s

Hand--Mitsu-Domoe--Hammer of Daikoku--The

Keys--Anchor--Crystal Ball--Leaf Talisman--Ota-fu-ku--Bow--Temple

at Ise 44-54

CHAPTER VI

Egyptian Beliefs--Crux Ansata--The Menat--The Two

Plumes--The Single Plume--The Nefer--The Cartouche--The

Angles and Plummet--The God Bes--Aper--The

Tat--The Heart 55-65

CHAPTER VII

The Buckle of the Girdle of Isis--The Scarab--The Eye of

Osiris--The Two Fingers--The Collar--The Hawk--The

Sma--The Ladder and Steps--The Snake’s Head--The

Serpent--The Sun’s Disc--The Frog--The Fish--The

Vulture--The Sa, or Tie 66-75

CHAPTER VIII

Gnosticism--Abraxas--Sacred Names--Khnoubis--The

Seven Vowels--The Magic Symbols--The Archangels--Lion-headed

Serpent--Aum--The Ineffable Name--Horus--Osiris--Isis--Etruscan,

Greek, and Roman--The Crescent Symbol--The Horseshoe--Tusk, or

Horn--Stable Keys--Amalthæa’s Horn, or Cornucopia--Serapis--Bull’s

Head--Diana--Harpokrates--Anubis--Bellerophon--Salus

Ring--Hygiea 76-85

CHAPTER IX

The Bulla--The Tusk--Pine Cone--The Frog--Skull of an

Ass--Key Talismans--Grylli, or Chimeræ--Goat--The

Ox--Lion--Eagle--The Caduceus--Mercury--Health

Rings--Boar’s Head--Clenched Hand--Open

Hand--Figured Hands--The Lizard--The Spider--The

Fish--Snails 86-96

CHAPTER X

The Orient--The Koran--Jochebed--Bead Necklaces--Mashallah--Hassan

and Hussein--Hand of the Lady Fatima--Five Principal

Commandments--Zufur Tukiah--Nasiree--Gadiri--Mohammed--Merzoum--The

Diamond--Cube of Amber--Scorpion-charming--Early Christian and

Mediæval Talismans--Clement of Alexandria--The Fish--Dag--Palm

Branch--The Ship--Sacred Monogram--Shen--Constantine the

Great--Thoth--The Cross--Household Cross--Yucatan--Hand

and Cross--Wheel Cross 97-106

CHAPTER XI

The Agnus Dei--The Coventry Ring--Ananizapta--Tau

Cross--Cross of St. Benedict--Byzantine Ring--Simsum

Ring--Abracadabra--Pentalpha, Pentacle, Pentagram,

or Five-pointed Star--The Kabala--The Table of

Jupiter--The Ten Divine Names--The Planetary

Angels--The Agla--Dr. Dee 107-117

CHAPTER XII

Tetragrammaton--Phylactery--Talismans against all mischiefs,

the _Magus_--Venus Talisman--Totaphoth--Abraxas--Eye

of a Cock--Bells--Gargoyles--Cramp Rings--Blessing of

Rings--Musseltaub--Posie Rings--Gemmel Rings--Zodiacal

Rings--The Signs of the Zodiac in Rhyme--General

Talismans--The Lee Penny--Crystal--The Moon

Talismans--Peacock--Juno--Fire Talismans--Gold

Nugget--Coins--Card Talismans--Badger’s

Tooth--Four-leaved Clover 118-130

PART II

CHAPTER I

ARIES--THE RAM

The Zodiac--Zodiacal and Calendar Months--The New

Year--The Constellation--Hamal--The Passover--Characteristics

of Aries People--Gems of Aries--The Bloodstone and

Heliotrope--Mars the Ruling Planet--Marbodeus

Gallus--The Diamond--The Qualities of the

Diamond--Tavernier--The Regent--The Koh-i-Noor--The

Hope Diamond 133-48

CHAPTER II

TAURUS--THE BULL

The Constellation--Aldebaran--The Chaldeans--The

Temples--Apis Bull--Aphrodite--Characteristics of

Taurus--Training--Gems of Taurus--The Sapphire--Bishop’s

Ring--St. Jerome--Qualities of the Sapphire--Star

Sapphire--Solomon’s Seal--Charlemagne’s Talisman--The

Turquoise--Bœtius de Boot--Horseman’s

Talisman--Qualities of the Stone 149-60

CHAPTER III

GEMINI--THE TWINS

Period--The Twins, Castor and Pollux--The Argonauts--King

Solomon’s Pillars--Maia--Ovid and Wedding of

Mary Queen of Scots--Gemini Number--Characteristics--Agates

and their Virtues--Orpheus--Chrysoprase--Alexander

the Great--Virtues of the Stone 161-73

CHAPTER IV

CANCER--THE CRAB

The Dark Sign--Its Duration--Origins--Summer Solstice--Hercules

and the Crab--Characteristics--Goddess Esmeralda

and the Ancient Peruvians--The Emerald Isle--Moonstones--Blue

Moon--Pearls--Cat’s Eyes--Rock Crystals--Crystal-gazing--Virtues

of the Crystal 174-86

CHAPTER V

LEO--THE LION

Period--Constellation--The Fiery Sign--Hercules and the

Lion--Characteristics--Personal Magnetism of the Type--Disposition

--Money-makers--Entertainers--Health Defects--Marriage and Love

Affairs--Artistic Tendencies--Gems of the House--The

Sardonyx--Qualities of the Stone--The Chrysolite and the

Romans--The Tourmaline--Peculiarities of the Stone--Amber--Virtues

and Medicinal Uses--The Topaz 187-98

CHAPTER VI

VIRGO--THE VIRGIN

Period--Constellation--Mythology--Symbols--Paris under

Virgo--Reflecting Qualities of the Sign--Characteristics--Marriage

--Professions--Ailments--Harmonious Types--Gems of the

House--Cornelian--Virtues of the Cornelian--Napoleon’s Seal

Talisman--Clairvoyant Properties of the Stone--Jade--New

Zealanders’ Faith--The Tiki--Jade as Racing Talisman 199-211

CHAPTER VII

LIBRA--THE BALANCE

Period--Constellation--Origin of the Sign--The Yoke--The

Altar--Characteristics of the Type--Influence of

Saturn--Inclination for Companionship--Marriage--Moods--Partnership

--Professions--Health Defects of the Type--Gems of the

House--The Opal--Coral--Lapis Lazuli--The Modern Ill-luck of

the Opal--Its Ancient Virtues--Sensitiveness of the Opal--Its

Virtues as a Libra Gem--Coral--Virtues--As Infant’s

Talisman--Lapis Lazuli--Egyptian Talisman--Qualities of the

Stone 212-23

CHAPTER VIII

SCORPIO--THE SCORPION

Period--Ruling Planet--Mythology--Symbology--Characteristics

of the Type--Effect of the Malefic Aspects--Health

Defects--Professions--Religion--Marriage--The

Gems of the House--The Beryl and Aquamarine differing

only in Colour--Qualities of the Beryl--Clairvoyant

Properties--The Carbuncle as Transmitter of Light--Noah’s

Lamp--Talisman against Infection--The Lodestone--Magnetic

Qualities as an Amulet against Shipwreck

and Gout 224-34

CHAPTER IX

SAGITTARIUS--THE ARCHER

Period--The Constellation--The Bow in the Cloud--Mythology--

Characteristics of the Type--Appropriateness of the Symbol--Fresh

Air a Necessity--Professions--Ailments--Marriage Relations--Gem of

the House--The Topaz--Nan-Ratan--Pliny and the Topaz--Discovery

of the Stone--The Emperor Hadrian and his Ring--Appropriateness

of the Stone to the Type--The Stone of Strength--As a Talisman

against Asthma--Marbodus and the Topaz--Chrysolite also

Favourable 235-44

CHAPTER X

CAPRICORNUS--THE GOAT

Constellation--Period--Ruling Planet Saturn--Mythology--The

Symbol of the Goat--Characteristics--Constitution

and Health Defects--India under the Rule of Capricorn--Professions

--Marriage--Saturn favourable for the

Elderly--Gems of the House--The Ruby--Spinel--Qualities

of the Gem--Sensitiveness for Good or Evil--The

Malachite--Copper as a Talisman against Colic and

Cholera--Black Onyx--Favourable and Unfavourable

Influence of the Stone--Jet--The Afflictions of Saturn--Effects

on other Types 245-56

CHAPTER XI

AQUARIUS--THE WATER-BEARER

Constellation--Period--Symbol--Early Religious Teachings--The

Glyph--Rulers of the House--Saturn and

Uranus--Characteristics of the Type--Temper--Professions--Health

Defects--Marriage and Friendships--Gems

of the House--Garnets and Zircons--The Garnet

and Ruby--Qualities of the Stone--Virtue, as a

Keepsake--The Zircon--The Hyacinth--The Jargoon--The

Jacinth as a Talisman for Sleep--Set in Gold for

Restlessness--The Lyncurion of the Ancients: its

Virtues 257-68

CHAPTER XII

PISCES--THE FISHES

Period--Constellation--Precession of the Equinoxes--Ichthyes

the Fishes--Mythology--Symbol--The Rulers

of the House--Characteristics--Ailments of the Type--Professions--

Friendship and Marriage--Harmonious and Inharmonious Types--The Gem

of the House--The Amethyst--Virtues of the Stone--Talisman against

Inebriety--Its Calming Influence--The Stone of St.

Valentine--As a Lovers’ Talisman--The Effect of Purple

Rays--The Amethyst Beneficent to all Types--Real and

Artificial Gems, and how to test and select them 267-81

LIST OF PLATES

Gems, Symbols, and Glyphs of the Zodiac _Frontispiece_

DESCRIPTION.

1. Aries the Ram, Diamond, Iron.

2. Taurus the Bull, Sapphire, Copper.

3. Gemini the Twins, Agate, Silver.

4. Cancer the Crab, Emerald, Silver.

5. Leo the Lion, Chrysolite, Gold.

6. Virgo the Virgin, Cornelian, Silver.

7. Libra the Balance, Opal, Copper.

8. Scorpio the Scorpion, Aquamarine, Iron.

9. Sagittarius the Archer, Topaz, Tin.

10. Capricorn the Goat, Ruby, Lead.

11. Aquarius the Water-bearer, Garnet, Lead.

12. Pisces the Fishes, Amethyst, Tin.

PLATE TO FACE PAGE.

I. Primeval Talismans; Chinese, Indian, and

Thibetan Talismans 14

II. Indian and Thibetan Talismans (_continued_) 30

III. Chinese and Japanese Talismans 40

IV. Egyptian Talismans 60

V. Egyptian Talismans 66

VI. Egyptian Talismans 72

VII. Egyptian and Gnostic Talismans 78

VIII. Etruscan, Greek, Roman, and Oriental Talismans 95

IX. Early Christian and Mediæval Talismans 104

X. Mediæval Talismans 120

PART I

AMULETS AND TALISMANS

THE BOOK OF TALISMANS,

AMULETS & ZODIACAL GEMS

CHAPTER I

Introduction.--The Psychic and Magnetic Influence of Talismans and Gems.

From remotest times, back even to the birth of humanity, Precious

Stones and Talismans have been held in high estimation by all nations;

the former, primarily because of their beauty, and the latter on

account of their virtues, as transmitters of good luck and to avert

misfortune. The association of Gems with power, civil and religious,

has ever been noticeable; and to the fascination of antiquity may be

added the allurement of mystery. Moreover, of the many and varied signs

of wealth and luxury, jewels have played a most important part in the

lives of the great, not only on account of their beauty but because

they contained in a small compass the equivalent to a large sum of

money and in times of danger could easily be concealed and carried from

place to place.

As tokens or symbols they conveyed joy and confidence to their owners,

and were thought to give warning of coming events, inspiring courage

and faith in the fearful, and the romances and tragedies in which they

have played a part, together with their marked influence on the lives

of individuals and nations, intensifies our interest in them so that

it is little wonder that faith in the mysterious properties ascribed

to them should have survived the growth of ages and still find so many

believers in all countries. The philosophers of thousands of years

ago, understanding their suitability as a medium for the transmission

of astral forces and vibrations, invested them with much importance,

attributing to them spiritual as well as material powers, special

characteristics and medicinal and curative qualities.

In all probability gems had their origin in the very remote period

of the Earth’s history when it was still in a molten state subject

to deluge and fire, before its solidification made it possible for

vegetation to appear, and the translucent lustre of certain gems is due

to the action of the floods which preceded the fiery volcanic period.

The colouring which forms their greatest fascination is due to various

metallic oxides in combination with oxygen which in varying quantities

gives red, blue, yellow, or green colourings, as shown by the Ruby,

Sapphire, Emerald, Topaz, and Amethyst.

It is most difficult to determine with any certainty in what country

Precious Stones were first worn as ornaments, but the consensus of

opinion seems to point to India, as far as recognised history is

concerned, as their birthplace, for every rare and beautiful production

of Nature, Gems and Pearls are associated with the East.

The earliest records of humanity do not, however, stop with known

histories, for traces of man’s love for gems are found in the

discoveries of travellers and the traditions of South America, evidence

proving an inheritance from past civilisations of great antiquity.

There is an innate attraction to the marvellous in mankind, the

imagination leading us to endow the rare and precious with peculiar

qualities, particularly when the source of its beauty and rarity is not

readily perceptible. It is akin to the extraordinary magnetic influence

which one person may exercise over another without any tangible

evidence of super-physical powers, or the mysterious attraction which

the Magnet exercises over Iron, and establishes the inference that

other minerals may be similarly endowed with properties at present

unrecognised by our ordinary physical senses.

Modern research confirms the old teaching that the Universe was

created from the four elements, Fire, Air, Water, Earth, in the order

given, each growing as it were from its predecessor and all animated

in turn by the Word breathed upon them at the Creation; this force, or

energy, permeates all existing things from man, who is the highest of

apparent physical manifestations down through the animal and vegetable

kingdoms to the mineral, in which this energy, by reason of its very

slow atomic changes, is least obvious. This Force manifests in the

form of vibrations moving in waves through every composite part of

the physical world, and, according to the condition of its medium,

helping and giving power when in harmony, and thwarting or nullifying

action when under unfavourable conditions. To this Force, or Etheric

influence, is due the law of Evolution, or progress, which operates

in every department of the Universe, not being confined to any one

kingdom, but harmonising each with the other, being naturally most

powerful in man whose evolution is the highest, and forms the medium

through which man can act on the lower kingdoms and receive desired

vibrations from them. We may thus interpret Plato’s statement “that

gems owe their origins to the stars” as an etheric influence acting on

the auriferous matter which forms their composition.

Evidence of undoubted authenticity of wonderful occult powers and

experiences has within recent years become readily accessible to all.

Psychometry [the art of sensing past happenings to individuals from

the handling of something belonging to them, such as a glove or jewel]

may be said to be established as a fact; and that this power is not

confined to human affairs but permeates also the lower kingdoms is

aptly illustrated by a personal experience which occurred during the

summer of 1912. Mr. J. Wedgewood of the Theosophical Society, who is

much interested in sensing colours from the touch of Precious Stones,

and with whom I have frequently experimented in this direction, called

one day at my office with a lady friend, Mrs. Russak, also of the

Theosophical Society, and a well-known occultist. In the course of

conversation Mr. Wedgewood said, “If you want to know anything about

any of your stones, this lady can tell you,” and, being desirous of

getting a real test, I selected two new stones that I knew had never

been used, as will be seen by what follows:--I handed one to Mrs.

Russak which she held in the palm of her hand for a moment or so, and

then gave me what was, as far as I could judge, a description of the

processes of its formation; then, holding it out to me, went on to say,

“I am sorry I cannot give you any events connected with this stone,

but within the last month you have changed its centre of gravity.”

The stone was a Jargoon that I had only just received back from the

lapidary with whom I had left it in the rough to be cut; it was a very

decided oval in shape whilst in its rough state, and the lapidary had

advised me to have practically half of it cut away, leaving the stone

quite circular and only about half its original size, although much

more valuable and finer in colour than it would have been had it been

cut as an oval twice the size.

The second stone was a piece of Lapis Lazuli, and after holding this

for a while the Seer said, “I only get warm friendly vibrations from

this stone, and as far as I can tell it has had no history as a

finished stone; but it must have come into your possession under very

kindly conditions.” The stone in question had been cut from a large

piece of Lapis Lazuli given to me in its natural rough uncut form by a

client, in recognition of quite a slight service I had rendered her,

but which had played a rather important part in her life.

This ability to gauge and come into touch with the soul of things is

unfortunately at present only confined to the few, although innate in

every human being, and must be regarded as a latent sense which will be

common to coming generations, opening up realms hitherto undreamt of

and making a decided forward step in human evolution.

Confusion and doubt have arisen as to the exact stones mentioned by the

early writers, owing to their elastic methods of describing all red

stones as Rubies, all green stones as Emeralds, and all blue stones

as Sapphires; this confusion has not been lessened by reason of the

complexity of the many languages of the East, to say nothing of the

artistic liberties taken by modern poets and authors, (who, probably

unaware of the necessity for astronomical or astrological knowledge

as a basis for the Zodiacal placing of the stones,) have taken our

calendar as it stands for the Month stones with such embellishments as

their fancy dictated.

The Precious Stones ascribed to the twelve months of the year were

those worn in the breastplate of the High Priest, and it was believed

that the Divine revelations obtained by the shining or dullness of the

stones in the Urim and Thummim, due to some virtue inherent in them,

were indicative as to whether the atonement had been accepted or not.

These twelve stones, engraved with twelve anagrams of the name of God,

had a mystic power over the Zodiac, harmonising the twelve Angels and

good Spirits who had affinity with the twelve tribes of Israel.

The origin of Talismans and Amulets is lost in the obscurity of

the ages, but as far back as we can trace human records they are

to be found; the terms _Talisman_ and _Amulet_ have become from

indiscriminate use to be considered synonymous, but in his notes to the

_Archæological Journal_, the Rev. C. W. King says:--

“The meaning of these two words is entirely distinct. Talisman being

the conception in the Arabic tongue of the Greek, meaning the influence

of a planet, or the Zodiac, upon the person born under the same. A

Talisman in olden times was, therefore, by its very nature a sigil,

or symbolic figure, whether engraved in stone or metal, or drawn upon

parchment or paper, and was worn both to procure love and to avert

danger from its possessor. The latter purpose alone was the object of

the Amulet, its Latin signification being to do away with, or baffle,

its root being _Amalior_. Pliny cites the word as the country-folk name

for the Cyclamen which ought to be planted in every human home, because

where it is grown poisonous drugs have no power to harm, on which

account they call it the flower, Amuletum.”

The belief in them is by no means so universal as in olden times,

and to the thoughtful person many of the attributes claimed for them

cannot be admitted; at the same time, with the growing knowledge of

finer forces opening up new powers to mankind and to which we are

slowly coming into touch, many people are prepared to admit that there

may be some active power in a thought made concrete in the form of a

Talisman or Amulet which may be made for some specific purpose, or for

particular wear, becoming to the wearer a continual reminder of its

purpose and undoubtedly strengthening him in his aims and desires.

Symbols, frequently of a religious nature, have formed the basis of

Talismans and Charms from earliest times, holding a very important

place in the affairs of humanity, for symbolism was a power before

civilisation was evolved, and by its recognition of a certain order in

physical affairs it was undoubtedly a great factor in the establishment

of human laws. In modern religions this law is recognised by the use

of each symbol in accordance with the character of ceremonial worship,

colour also playing a very important part in the service.

Too frequently one hears a religion condemned as idolatrous because

its God or Gods were typified in human or animal form. That it was

the virtue the figure represented, and not the figure itself that was

venerated, is ignored; but Christians would be indignant if the use

of the Lamb and Eagle as symbols in their services caused them to be

accused of idolatrous worship of these emblems!

The force of the Spirit behind the symbol is very apparent with regard

to the Cross, as may be understood when we think of the martyrs who

have endured unflinchingly the most excruciating tortures human brain

could devise, holding fast to their faith by this symbol.

The savage had his Totem, which he believed gave him certain virtues,

and helped him to success in his combats and in his struggle for

existence.

Those of our readers who have any knowledge of Astrology and Planetary

influences will readily understand the sympathy between any metal, or

stone, ruled by any particular planet, and any person coming under the

influence of that planet.

In the writing of the philosophers and Alchemists of the Middle Ages

directions are given that these Talismans should be made, or commenced,

under favourable aspects, so that the Work may receive the vitalising

rays proceeding from the planet represented.

CHAPTER II

Talismans of Primitive Races--The Axe--Arrow-head--The Swastika--The

Serpent--The Interlaced Triangles.

Amongst primitive races the Axe was the symbol for Chief, God, or

Divine Being, and had its origin in the Neolithic or later Stone Age,

which ended in Europe about 2000 B. C.

It was doubtless the earliest weapon of prehistoric man, and in

addition to its uses as a weapon would have been in constant service in

clearing the way when moving from place to place, and in cutting and

shaping the wood used in forming his shelters. This being so, it is

easy to conceive of its association with strength, power, and utility;

and its symbolic use to express these virtues is a logical conclusion,

whilst from remains found in various parts of the world it is evident

that its use for this purpose was universal, and amongst primitive

races the Axe became the recognised hieroglyphic for God, Chief, or

Ruler; moreover, as a symbol of power, its place is taken by the State

Sword which is carried before the King at important ceremonies even to

the present day.

Amongst the remains of the Stone Age, Talismans formed in the shape

of Axe-heads have been found pierced with holes for suspension, and

Illustration No. 13 (Plate I) is an example in Slate of the Neolithic

period found in Portugal, and its ornament is the Divine in its

feminine aspect as represented by prehistoric man, who placed the

feminine first in his beliefs, tracing his own descent and his position

in the tribe through the Mother.

Illustration No. 16 (Plate I) is of a blue flint Talisman from Egypt;

and No. 15 (Plate I) is in Hæmatite, and comes from the Upper Congo,

where the natives of the present day regard it as an effective Talisman

against disease.

[Illustration: PRIMEVAL, CHINESE, INDIAN AND THIBETAN TALISMANS.

PLATE 1. _To face page 14._]

THE ARROW-HEAD in its symbolism had a similar significance to that

of the Axe, and in Japan flint Arrow-heads were thought to have been

rained from Heaven, or dropped by flying spirits. They were very

popular in the early days of the present civilisation as Amulets

to protect the wearer from disease and to avert the Evil Eye;

whilst throughout Europe they were regarded as the product of Elves

(Elf-shots, or fairy weapons), water in which they had been dropped

or dipped, being considered very efficacious in curing feminine

ailments (see Illustration No. 17, Plate I).

THE SWASTIKA, one of the oldest and certainly the most universal

Talisman known, can be traced back to the Neolithic Age, and it has

been found engraved on stone implements of this period. It is to be met

with in all parts of the Old and New Worlds and on the most ancient

ruins and remains, it thus living through the Ages in active use down

to the present time. In spite of its antiquity and the fact that some

writers quote it as being in use among the Egyptians, we have not been

able to find it, as a symbol used by them, amongst their remains in the

British Museum, and authorities whom we have consulted are also unaware

of its existence in Egyptian records.

It was used long before its present name was given it, and extensive

discussion has been carried on as to whether its correct form is with

its arms turned to the left, or to the right, without, as far as we

have been able to ascertain, any definite conclusion being arrived at.

Both forms seem equally popular, and are so found in all countries;

whilst on the rock walls of the Buddhist caves of India they are used

in great numbers, with their arms turned both ways often in the course

of the same inscription.

In Sanskrit its name means Happiness, Pleasure, Good Luck, _Su_--good,

or well; _Asti_--being, making it = “Good Being”; and it is still used

in India, China, and Japan as an Amulet for long life, good fortune,

and good luck.

The illustration shown on Plate I, No. 14 is from a shield of the

Bronze Age, the background being of dull red enamel, and the arms

turned to the left; whilst No. 18, which turns to the right, is taken

from between the feet of a statue of Buddha from Ceylon, and is also

commonly found in the footprints of this Deity, sometimes both forms

being used in the same impression. In China the Swastika sign is

pronounced _Wan_, meaning a great number, a multitude, great happiness,

longevity; both forms are used, but most commonly that which is

turned to the left. The Jains of India regard it as a symbol of human

progress, the right arm _A_ (Illustration No. 18) representing the

lowest stage of life, as protoplasm; the lower arm _B_ indicating the

soul’s evolution, and through plant and animal life _C_ representing

human evolution, and _D_ the spiritual life, the plane on which the

soul is entirely freed from matter by the practice of the three jewels,

right belief, right knowledge, and right conduct. In their temples at

their service of baptism or its equivalent rite, this symbol is traced

on the forehead of the candidate as a benediction for protection

from evil influences. It is used as an emblem of the highest of all,

the Almighty maker of the heavens and earth, indicating the Divine

Force radiating through the Universe; it is also regarded as a sign of

Benediction and good augury amongst Buddhists and all Eastern nations,

and as a symbol of the Sun, when represented turned to the left, the

Autumnal period, and when turned to the right the Vernal.

It has been identified as the Hammer of Thor, the Lord of Thunder

and Lightning, the God of the Air; and amongst the Scandinavians

was believed to have dominion over the Demons of the Air, and the

coat-of-arms of the Isle of Man--a Swastika formed of three human legs,

is a legacy from the early settlers of their race. It may occasionally

be met with, having five or six limbs, and is then probably intended

to represent the Wheel of the law, or Buddha’s Wheel; whilst a

three-limbed figure is much used in the Punjaub and other parts of

India by the Mohajin Log (the banking, or moneyed class) as a charm

which was not only worn, but used as an ornament in their houses,

generally over the door.

It is also the symbol indicated by the silent ascetic sitting with arms

folded over the breast, the legs crossed, and each foot placed on the

opposite thigh, which accounts for this pose, so familiar amongst the

images of the Indian gods.

Dr. Eitel says this symbol was frequently cast on bells during the

Middle Ages, and he instances as being still in existence those of

Appleby, Scotheim, Waldingham, Bishop’s Norton, and Barkwith in

Lincolnshire, Hathersage in Derbyshire, Maxborough in Yorkshire and

many others.

The fact that this symbol is found universally throughout India,

Africa, North and South America, Asia and Europe forms a very strong

argument for a common origin lost in the far distant past, and is

considered by some writers as evidence of a connection between these

continents and the lost continent of Atlantis.

THE SERPENT throughout all ages has appealed to the imagination of

man, to whom its various characteristics afforded opportunities for

symbolic expression; from its length of life it has been used as the

symbol of Eternity, and as a Talisman for Longevity, Health, and

Vitality, and when depicted with its tail in its mouth (this form being

particularly noticeable in ancient rings) it indicates perpetual union,

whilst to the Aztecs, who used it in this way as a symbol of the Sun,

it signified unending Time, ever beginning, ever creating, and ever

destroying, and was considered to have great protective and enduring

virtues.

When shown coiled, its folds signify succession of ages, and if the

tail is hidden, unfathomable antiquity (see Illustration No. 22, Plate

I, which is taken from an ancient Japanese example in the British

Museum).

In primeval days, serpents of the Python family attained huge

dimensions, and would naturally be held in dread and awe by early man;

and in all primitive religions we find the belief held that the soul

of man passed at death into a serpent to undergo regeneration and

renewal, so symbolised because the serpent casts its skin once a year

and becomes a new serpent.

To the Eastern mind the Sun in its passage through the heavens formed

a curve similar to that of the Snake, and by its progression spirally,

with great quickness at will, though without feet and hands or organs

by which other animals perform their movements, it was supposed to

symbolise lightning or fire, the vitalising principle of life in its

good aspect, and, when antagonistic, it became typical of evil and

misfortune.

In Egypt the Serpent in the form of the _Uræus_ was worn round the

head as a mark of Royalty, and to symbolise Divine Power, Wisdom, and

Energy, every tomb of the Kings yet opened has the Serpent sculptured

erect on each side of the doorway to guard and protect the body within.

It first became a type of the Evil One when this form was assumed by

_Sut_ (after killing _Osiris_) in his endeavour to escape from the

vengeance of _Horus_.

In Indian religions the Serpent is known as _Ananta_, or endless, a

symbol of infinite duration and Eternity; Vishnu, the Creator, is

represented sleeping on this serpent whose numerous heads form a canopy

over the God, each giving constant attention to his expected awakening,

when new creations and a new order of things will be established, and

was valued as a talisman for Knowledge, Wisdom, and Understanding.

Serpents were sacred to the Great God of Medicine because of the idea

that they have the power of renewing their youth by casting their

skins, hence the wand of Æsculapius is represented as entwined by

two serpents, the emblem of Medical Science, and in the temple of

Epidaurus, the most important sanatorium of the Metropolis, a large

serpent was kept, typical of Health and Vitality. As a symbol, it

was used in connection with Ceres, Mercury, and Diana in their most

beneficent qualities; whilst Python in monstrous form represented all

that was evil.

SOLOMON’S SEAL, also known as the Interlaced Triangle, is another

ancient Talisman that has been universally used in every religion; but

though it is said to have been the symbol by which the wise King ruled

the Genii, it could not have originated with him as its use dates back

much further than the Jewish Dispensation.

As a Talisman it was considered all-powerful, being the perfect sign

of the Absolute, and was worn for protection against all casualties,

dangers, and mischief, and to preserve its wearer from all evil.

In its composition the Triangle with its apex upwards symbolises Good,

and with the inverted Triangle, Evil: the Triangle with its apex up

being typical of the Trinity that exists in all religions; in India,

China, and Japan its three angles represent Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva,

the Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer or Regenerator; in Egypt it

represented Osiris, Isis, and Horus, and in the Christian Church the

Holy Trinity. As a whole it stood for the elements of fire and spirit,

composed of the three virtues, Love, Truth, and Wisdom. The Triangle

with its apex downward represented the element of water, and typified

the material world, or the three enemies of the soul, the World, the

Flesh, and the Devil, and the cardinal sins, Envy, Hatred, and Malice.

Therefore, the meaning of the two Triangles interlaced, is the triumph

of spirit over matter, and at the commencement of our present

civilisation was considered an all-powerful Talisman, particularly when

used with either a Tau Cross, the Hebrew Yod, or the Crux Ansata in the

centre.

The Illustration No. 23, Plate I, is from an Indian form of the

Talisman, and has the Sun’s symbol in the centre.

CHAPTER III

The Tau Cross--Aum Ma Ni Pad Me Hum--Indian Talismans--Ganesa the

Elephant-headed--Hanuman the Monkey God--The Eight Glorious Emblems

of Buddha--The Wheel of Life--The Conch Shell--The Two Fishes--The

Lucky Diagram--The Lotus--The Frog--The Three Gems.

Of the many and various Symbols and Talismans which have come down

to us through the ages, the Tau Cross is one of the most ancient,

and is undoubtedly the prototype of all modern crosses; it probably

had its origin in the double-axe hieroglyphic used by primitive man,

and symbolised the Divine attributes of rule and power appertaining

to the single axe as mentioned in the previous chapter, and is still

recognised as an emblem of authority in the form of the Gavel, or

Mallet, with which the auctioneer conducts sales of property and the

chairman controls meetings both in public and in the various lodges

of secret societies. Formerly it was also universally worn as a

talisman of powerful efficacy to protect its wearer from diseases of an

inflammatory nature and against bites of serpents and other venomous

reptiles (see Illustration No. 19, Plate I). Moses, who from his

training in the Egyptian temples would be familiar with its symbolic

significance, also used this cross, with the brazen serpent attached,

to save the Israelites in the Wilderness when they were afflicted by

the fiery serpents. This form of cross is to be found in all known

religions of both hemispheres, and has ever been regarded as the symbol

of eternal life and of regeneration, and in relation to this, John

Dudley, writing in 1846, says: “that such deep mysterious meaning was

possibly intended by our Saviour dying upon the Cross, giving spiritual

life and immortality to all mankind.” It was also the mark mentioned

in Ezekiel ix. 4 which was set in the foreheads of those destined

for exemption from Divine punishment in Jerusalem; and the Tau is

conspicuous in various old stained-glass representations of the subject

depicted as described in Scripture. A further instance of significance

is that it also figured on the roll-call of the Roman Legions, a Tau

Cross being placed against the names of all those who had survived the

battle, and a Theta against the slain.

The Tau Cross was also the sign adopted by Anthony the Copt, an

Egyptian hermit gifted in the cure of Erysipelas (a diffusive

inflammatory affection of the skin) and as an Amulet against St.

Anthony’s Fire, as this disease was subsequently called, this cross

came into great favour, particularly among the Jews, who used it in

conjunction with various magical formulas both for Erysipelas and

Epilepsy, or the falling sickness, as stated by the Rev. C. W. King.

We also learn from Grose that a brotherhood known as the Order of St.

Anthony was instituted in 1095 by one Gaston Frank. The friars of this

order made it their object in life to minister to those afflicted with

St. Anthony’s Fire, the relics of this saint being believed to be

most efficacious in the cure of this complaint. We are also told that

this fraternity wore a black habit with the letter Τ in blue on their

breasts, this symbol being known as St. Anthony’s Cross. As this saint

was habitually invoked for the cure of Epilepsy as well as Erysipelas,

the Tau Cross became regarded as a Talisman against both maladies.

In the _Archæological Journal_ we note the following:--

“Among Stothard’s effigies are those of Sir Roger de Bois and lady,

each of whom wears on the right shoulder a circular badge graven with

a Tau Cross on which appears the word ANTHON,” thus testifying to the

fact that Sir Roger also belonged to the Brotherhood, whilst in Ireland

to this day St. Anthony’s Cross is still used as a charm against

sickness.

AUM, the mystic emblem of the Deity, was first introduced into Europe

by the translation of the Gita, in which we are told it is forbidden

to be pronounced aloud, and in its complete expression is still in

universal use as a Talisman throughout Asia. It is usually spelt OM,

but being tri-literal seems, according to most Sanskrit scholars,

better expressed by AUM, or AOM, or AWM, being formed of the three

Sanskrit letters that are best so expressed. The date generally

believed for its universal use is the thirteenth century B.C. It

represents the Hindu Triad, or triform Deity, three in one, A the

Creator, U the Preserver, and M the Destroyer, or Transformer, and is

the image of the Ancient of Days; and in the Book of the Pitris it is

written: “The husband is as ancient as the wife, and the wife is as

ancient as the husband, and the son is also as ancient as the husband

and wife, and the one that contains all these is called AUM.”

The signification of the invocation AUM MA NI PAD ME HŪM (AUM! the

Jewel in the Lotus HŪM) is therefore very important, and accounts for

the great veneration in which it is held (see Illustration No. 12a,

Plate I), and in _Buddhism in Thibet_, by Waddell, we note that it

is stated in the MANI KAHBUM that this charm will bring the greatest

happiness, prosperity, all knowledge, and the means of deliverance

from enemies and all evil on earth, whilst the devout firmly believe

that as they revolve the magical sentence within their prayer-wheels

by day and night they are preventing the series of re-births otherwise

inevitable, and that when their lives have ended here they will pass

straightway to the Paradise of Buddha, for the

“AUM closes re-birth among the gods,

MA among the Titans,

NI as a man,

PAD as a beast,

ME as a Tantalus, and

HUM as an inhabitant of Hell.”

To each of these words is given the distinctive colour of these six

conditions of re-birth:

“AUM the godly white,

MA the Titanic blue,

NI the human yellow,

PAD the animal green,

ME the tantalic red,

HUM hellish black.”

There is also a special Rosary used for the repetition of this charm,

composed either of the Conch Shell, or crystal beads; in use, the right

hand is passed through the Rosary, which hangs down knotted end up,

and the hand with the thumb upward is carried to the breast and held

there. On the first syllable AUM being pronounced, the first bead is

grasped by raising the thumb and quickly depressing the tip to reach

the bead against the outer side of the second joint of the first

finger, during the remainder of the sentence the bead, still grasped,

is gently revolved to the right, and on conclusion of the invocation

is dropped down the palm side of the string; and with another AUM, the

next bead is proceeded with until, on conclusion of each cycle of the

rosary, each of the keeper beads are touched, saying respectively,

OM! AH! HUM!

In countries where Buddhism is practised, particularly in Thibet

and India, this charm is depicted on silk flags, flown from lofty

flagstaffs, so that when the flag is blown out by the wind the sentence

may be wafted to heaven to bring down blessings to the entire district.

The prayer-wheel, which contains this mystic sentence printed on long

lengths of silk ribbon coiled on cylinders, is revolved by the Lama

priest sunwise, and he is very strict in this observance, believing

that the reversing of the prayer would also reverse the results of the

invocation.

AUM is recognised throughout India as an emblem of the Deity, carrying

with its pronunciation a thousand good things to the faithful; and a

Brahmin teacher when addressing an assembly will use this word when

commencing his discourse, and also at the close, so that he may not

lose his knowledge and understanding.

INDIAN TALISMANS.--In India we find, as in most countries, that

Talismans very frequently have religious origins, and representations

of the Deities are in common use for the protection of their wearers,

as well as for their spiritual and material well-being. A belief in a

Trinity of gods is universal, with Brahma as the Creator, Vishnu the

Preserver and Restorer, and Siva the Destroyer or Regenerator. In the

course of the developments of the various sects Vishnu, originally

regarded as a manifestation of Solar energy, became the supreme god,

and the worshippers of Vishnu attribute to him all the qualities of

the triune gods, his image and various symbols being amongst the most

common of Indian Talismans. He is believed to have ten Avataras, or

Incarnations, in which his spirit descended in human form to effect

great reformations and to regenerate the world; the tenth incarnation,

yet to come, is for the final destruction of the wicked, and to

regenerate and purify the world.

Gotama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was Vishnu’s ninth incarnation,

and his images and symbols are extremely popular Talismans for

protection and good fortune. Buddhism, which was founded about the

fifth century B.C., has established itself throughout India, China,

Ceylon, Japan, Thibet, and Central Asia, inculcating a very high system

of theology, the ultimate end of which is Union with the Divine. The

Brahmins place Buddha foremost amongst the gods, as opposed to Brahma

of the Hindus.

Amongst other sects, Siva is regarded as the greatest of the gods,

and there is much overlapping amongst these beliefs, and numerous

minor gods exist, typifying various virtues and gifted with powers and

attributes which bring them into intimate relations with humanity,

for which reason their symbols and personifications are in common use

as Talismans. Talismans of Ganesa, the elephant-headed god, the son

of Siva, (who is regarded as the God of Wisdom and Prudence, and the

Remover of obstacles,) are always worn when any important undertaking

is begun. He is represented with four arms holding respectively a

Lotus, a Shell, a Goad or Club, and the Discus or Wheel, and the

rotundity of his body is symbolic of his high importance and good

standing, and _not_, as might be supposed, intended as evidence of good

living (see Illustration No. 28, Plate II).

[Illustration: INDIAN AND THIBETAN TALISMANS.

PLATE 2. _To face page 30._]

HANUMAN, the Monkey god, is the most popular form of Talisman for

Luck, Health, and Good Fortune amongst the Hindus, and his wonderful

exploits are a constant theme of interest from childhood to old age.

He was unequalled in learning, knowledge of medicine, and magic, and

his skill and cunning in defeating his enemies were superhuman; he

fought for Rama, who was an incarnation of Vishnu, performing on his

behalf prodigious feats of valour. On one occasion, whilst fighting

against Ravana the King of Demons, his enemies greased his enormous

tail and set it on fire, but only to their own discomfiture, for with

it Hanuman burnt down Lankā, their capital city (see Plate 2, No. 29).

The eight glorious emblems of Buddha are all used as Talismans; they

consist of the Wheel of the Law, the Conch Shell, the Golden Fish, the

Lucky Diagram, the Lotus, the Umbrella, the Vase, and the Trumpet of

Victory.

Buddha at his birth had the marks of two feet upon his head and a

wheel, or disc, in his hand, by which symbols the Pandits foretold that

he would become a great ruler.

The Wheel of Life was drawn by Buddha in a rice field from grains of

rice, to illustrate his teaching that the perpetual succession of cause

and effect during life resembles the turning of a wheel; and the symbol

is worn as a wheel of fortune, so that misfortunes may roll by and

good fortune come uppermost. The wheel was also used to explain the

vision seen by a disciple on other spheres, the five spokes divided the

Hells, the place of Animals, Ghosts, or evil spirits, Gods, and men

(illustrated Plate II, No. 34).

THE CONCH SHELL was taken from a demon of the sea by Krishna, who used

it for a horn (see Illustration No. 35, Plate II), and is prized as

a Talisman for oratory and learning, as well as a bringer of wealth,

the latter being no doubt suggested by the fact that shells were the

current coin of primitive people.

THE FISH is the symbol of the first incarnation of Vishnu, who in this

form saved Manu from the Flood to become the progenitor of the new

race. Because of its fertility it is used as a Talisman for increase of

riches, and is illustrated on Plate II, No. 32.

THE LUCKY DIAGRAM is very common in Thibet, and is worn as a Talisman

for Longevity (see Illustration No. 30, Plate II).

THE LOTUS expresses the idea of superhuman origin, as it grows from the

body of the water without contact with the solid earth, and no matter

how muddy the water may become still preserves its purity undefiled.

It is one of the symbols of Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, who is the

goddess of Fortune and of Beauty; it is worn as a Talisman of Good

Luck and Good Fortune, and as Lakshmi is particularly favourable for

children it is worn to avert all childish diseases and accidents, as

well as to protect from the Evil Eye (see Illustration No. 33, Plate

II).

Frogs made of amber or gilded metal are also frequently worn as amulets

by children in Burmah, that they may not decline in health through

the evil glance. Brightly coloured ribbons are hung upon houses and

attached to the heads and tails of horses to distract the attention

of the Evil Eye, and protect the animals from harm, which probably

accounts for the origin of the gaudy decorations we frequently see in

our own country tied to the heads and tails of fine cart-horses on

their way to the fair or horse show.

THE THREE GEMS Talisman (Illustrated on Plate II, No. 31) is to be met

with wherever Buddhism is established, and symbolises Buddha His Word,

and the Church; it is worn to promote the three virtues, Endurance,

Courage, and Obedience, the Buddhist Law.

CHAPTER IV

Talisman for Wisdom--Buddha’s Footprints--The Dorje--Knots--Chinese

Talismans--The Trigrams--The Five Bats--The Goose--Stork--Pine

Tree--Peach--Lucky Sentence--The Phœnix--The Dragon--Horse

Hoof--Siva’s Charm--The Money Sword--Red in Talismans--The

Lock--Bells--The Tortoise--The Tiger--Pigs--The Black Cat.

Illustration No. 24, Plate II is a Talisman for Wisdom and

Perseverance, and is of great power amongst the Hindus; the circle is

indicative of infinity, the border of triangles signifies that all

nature is subject to the laws of the Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva;

the serpent is the symbol of Wisdom and Perseverance, and indicates

that without these attributes the revelation of the higher truths

cannot be attained. The seven-knotted Bamboo represents the seven

degrees of power of invocation which Initiates must acquire.

IMPRESSIONS OF BUDDHA’S FOOTPRINTS, another very popular Talisman (see

Illustration No. 25, Plate II), are to be met with not only in the form

of personal ornaments, but in gigantic proportions of which an example

may be seen at the British Museum, beautifully carved and ornamented

with numerous sacred emblems. The most celebrated “footprint” is on

Adam’s Peak, near Colombo, which attracts from all countries pilgrims

who have adopted the religion of Buddha, Mohammed, or the Hindu gods,

each claiming it as the Impression of their respective Deities.

Sir Gardiner Williamson says that the Mohammedans of Egypt show a

footprint of the Prophet which gives the name to a village on the banks

of the Nile--Attar a Nebbee. Herodotus mentions the impression of the

foot of Hercules, two cubits in length, on a rock near the bank of the

River Tyras, in Scythia. In Italy, tablets dedicated to Isis have been

found. From this we gather that this practice of carving footprints on

rocks and stone is one which dates from the remote Bronze Age, and that

the area over which they are found embraces the whole world.

In Thibet, the Lamaist Sceptre, or Dorje, the thunderbolt of Indra,

is greatly valued as a Talisman (see Illustration No. 26, Plate

II). This symbol is prized as a Talisman against Demons, and to

bring fruitfulness. Indra, as the deity of the atmosphere, governs

the weather and dispenses the rain, sending forth lightnings and

thunder against Ahi the demon of drought, whom he overcomes with his

thunderbolt, compelling him to pour down the fertilising showers.

KNOTS are used in India and Thibet as Talismans for Longevity and to

avert the Evil Eye (see Illustration No. 27, Plate II), the Knot being

considered potent to bind that which is good and precious, and to prove

an obstacle or hindrance to that which is evil; for instance, _at the

time_ of marriage knots are lucky, and the ceremonies connected with a

Chinese marriage include knotted red and green ribbons, which are held

by the newly wedded pair, the bride holding the green ribbon whilst

the bridegroom seizes the red; and in our own country the true-lover’s

knot is frequently used in the decoration of the wedding dress; but at

childbirth and death, there must be no knots about the person to hamper

the coming or going of the spirit.

CHINESE TALISMANS. The origin of the ancient religion of China is

unknown, and the faith has been handed down from generation to

generation from periods many centuries B.C. It is based on the belief

that the Universe was ruled by Divinities arranged in three groups,

one ruling the heavens, the second the earth, (having dominion over

mountains,) streams, and vegetation, and the third ruling the affairs

of mankind. Illustration No. 21, Plate I is a Talisman that had its

origin at this period, and was given to the Emperor Fu-hsi, the founder

of the Chinese Empire, by a mystical dragon horse which rose from

the waters of the Yellow River about 2800 B.C. These Trigrams, known

as Pa-kwa, formed the basis of the written characters introduced by

this wise Emperor. They are familiar to all Chinese, being worn as a

Talisman for long life and to ward off evil influences. The Talisman

is made of all sizes and shapes, from large ones on boards, one or two

feet square, down to tiny medals for personal wear, no larger than a

sixpence. It is also frequently used in circular form, as shown in the

central part of the Bat Talisman (No. 20, Plate I), and is known as

Tho, the symbol of longevity. The Pa-kwa Trigrams are based upon the

ancient theory of the Yang Yin, or two first causes, indicated by the

circular figure divided by a spiral line in the centre of the Talisman

into two equal gadroons, which represent the Creative principle in its

masculine and feminine manifestations; the active principle being Yang,

and the passive Yin. This symbol also represents Heaven and Earth, Sun

and Moon, Light and Darkness, and everything that is in contrast, or

positive and negative.

The whole lines in the figures are described as strong in contrast to

the short-divided lines, which are weak, the whole representing the two

forms of subtle matter which forms the composition of all things. This

Talisman is also a favourite in Japan and Thibet.

Confucianism, advocating the fulfilment of all duties to the utmost

of one’s power, in accordance with the position in life, socially and

officially, ranging from the love of the child for his father to the

Emperor’s responsibility for his people’s welfare, is still firmly

believed in at the present time; and the Talisman of the five bats, the

Weefuh, is for the five great happinesses that all men desire, Luck,

Wealth, Longevity, Health, and Peace. The five bats are frequently used

alone, but sometimes, as in Illustration No. 20, Plate I, the Trigrams,

or some other symbol, is used in conjunction.

Two Bats signify good wishes; a Goose is depicted as a Talisman for

domestic felicity, and a Deer for success and honour in study; a

Stork, or Pine Tree, and a fabulous Peach which takes a thousand years

in ripening, for longevity and good fortune. Another graceful way of

wishing a guest good luck is to depict one of these symbols, or a lucky

sentence, at the bottom of his tea-cup, such as “May your happiness

know no bounds,” enclosed by a border of the five bats.

THE PHŒNIX, like the bird Feng, is a mystical bird said to live 500 or

600 years and then to build for itself in the desert a funeral pyre of

dried grasses and sweet spices. To this it sets fire by fluttering its

wings whilst hovering over it, is then consumed, but from the ashes

it rises again renewed in youth and in its gorgeous plumage; an idea

appropriated by old-established fire insurance offices, the symbol of

which is familiar to all.

The Phœnix is believed by the Chinese to uphold their Empire and

preside over its destiny; it is also worn as a Talisman for Longevity

and Conjugal Happiness; whilst in the mystic sense it typifies the

whole world, its head the heavens, its eyes the Sun, its beak the Moon,

its wings the wind, its feet the earth, and its tail the trees and

plants.

To the Japanese the Phœnix, or HO-WO bird, is a Talisman for Rectitude,

Obedience, Fidelity, Justice, and Benevolence, and they consider it a

manifestation of the Sun, its appearance on earth being considered a

portent of great events. The TORII, a kind of gate elaborately carved

and decorated at the entrances of Shinto temples, is erected for the

Phœnix to perch upon should it visit the earth (see Illustration No.

40, Plate III). This fabled bird has also played a conspicuous part in

British and foreign heraldry.

THE DRAGON is symbolical of everything imposing and terrible, and forms

the Imperial coat-of-arms; the Emperor’s throne being called the

Dragon One.

There are three forms of Dragon--the “_Lung_,” or sky dragon, the

“_Li_,” which lives in the sea, and the “_Kiao_,” which inhabits the

marshes. The dragon is worn for Longevity and Domestic Felicity (see

Illustration No. 38, Plate III).

[Illustration: CHINESE AND JAPANESE TALISMANS.

PLATE 3. _To face page 40._]

The type of the Dragon was thought to have been the boa-constrictor,

until the researches of geology brought to light in the iguanodon such

a near counterpart of the dragon that this is now regarded as more

probably its prototype. The Lung is represented as a dragon-headed

horse which carries on its back the book of the Law. It is very popular

in Thibet, where it is known as the Wind Horse; but the Lamas have

substituted for the book of the Law the emblems of the three gems (see

Illustration No. 31, Plate II), which include the Buddhist Law, and is

thus worn by the Thibetans to bring material gain, wealth, and good

luck; in this form it is painted on luck-bringing flags, which are

hung from the ridges of the houses and in the vicinity of dwellings.

The all-potent horse-shoe is not used by the Chinese, but the hoof of

a horse has to them the same preservative virtue as the horse-shoe

with us. Another charm extensively used in China amongst women, is a

small gold or silver triangle bearing two swords suspended from

the outer angles, and a trident from the centre of the base; on the

triangles lucky characters frequently appear (see Illustration No. 39,

Plate III). This is undoubtedly an imported Hindu Talisman of Siva, who

is regarded as the Regenerator and Controller of reproductive power;

and in addition to the acquirement of these qualities, this Talisman

is worn for protection against Ghosts and Goblins who are under the

control of Siva, and written charms of triangular shape are frequently

made for this purpose.

THE MONEY SWORD is regarded as all-powerful against ill-luck to the

house and against the machinations of evil spirits, and it attracts

cash to its fortunate possessor when suspended from right to left above

the head of his bed. This Cash Sword is composed of two iron rods along

which a quantity of coins, having holes in the centre, are tied with

red silk, making a potent charm which is very popular (see Illustration

No. 44, Plate III).

For talismanic purposes, Red is indispensable in China. It is

interwoven with the pig-tail, and must form a part of children’s

clothing. Written charms must also be in red ink on yellow paper to be

efficacious against the multitudinous ill-omens and evil spirits which

seem to surround the Chinaman, and for this reason all Imperial decrees

are written in vermilion. One of the commonest amulets worn by an only

son is a small silver lock (see Illustration No. 45, Plate III). The

father collects coins from about a hundred different heads of families

and has them exchanged for silver, which is converted into a native

padlock used to fasten a silver chain round the boy’s neck; this it is

believed will preserve him from evil spirits, lock him to life, and

contribute to his health and longevity.

Bells are also worn by Chinese children to avert the Evil Eye and

preserve the teeth.

THE TORTOISE is regarded as a symbol of the Universe in China, Japan,

and India, its dome-shaped back representing the vault of the sky, its

belly the earth which moves upon the waters, whilst the great age to

which it attains and the endurance and strength of its shell make it a

fitting emblem of the longevity for which it is worn as a Talisman. It

also repels black magic.

It represents the feminine principle in Nature and, as such, it

penetrated to the West, so that in Greek and Roman art Aphrodite and

Venus are frequently found associated with the Tortoise, whose virtues

or gifts were said by Pliny to number sixty-six (see Illustration No.

36, Plate III).

THE TIGER is the god of the gambler in China, and a tiger’s tooth is

regarded as a Talisman for good luck in speculation and in games of

chance; whilst the claws and whiskers are worn as love charms, and for

success and good fortune generally.

PIGS are also considered lucky; and luck-bringers in the shape of

little pigs made of gold and silk are worn to attract fortune’s

favours, but the black cat, which in our own country is regarded as

a mascot, is not favoured by the Chinese, who believe it to be a

harbinger of poverty, misfortune, and sickness.

CHAPTER V

The Pear Charm--“Show Fu”--Jade--The Blue Gown for

Longevity--Japanese--The Tiger--Wolf--Fox--The Thunder, Fire, and

Echo--The Fan of Power--Hotei, the God of Contentment--The Eagle--The

Millet Dumpling--Carp--Sacred Dog--Stork--Tortoise--Crane--Child’s

Hand--Mitsu-Domoe--Hammer of Daikoku--The Keys--Anchor--Crystal

Ball--Leaf Talisman--Ota-fu-ku--Bow--Temple at Ise.

A personal charm, the efficacy of which depends entirely on the merits

of its owner, consists of five thousand open dots arranged in the shape

of a pear on a piece of paper; each dot being filled up when some good

action is performed. There is a standard of value for each meritorious

action; he who is able to claim credit for repairing a road, building

a bridge, or digging a well, may fill up ten dots on his paper, whilst

the cure of a disease, or to give enough money to purchase a grave

counts thirty dots. To be the originator of a scheme of mutual benefit

to all allows fifty dots to be filled up.

There is a debit as well as a credit side to this charm, and,

therefore, he who reproves another unjustly has to fill up three extra

dots; and the levelling of a tomb, which is a serious offence, adds

fifty dots more to the account. At the end of the year the account

is balanced, and all outstanding dots are settled by fasting and

charitable deeds. When all the dots have been duly filled up the paper

is burnt, so that the record may pass to the other world and be placed

to its owner’s credit.

All through life the Chinaman regards himself as surrounded by demons,

to combat whom innumerable charms and amulets are necessary. A

favourite charm to keep evil spirits from crossing the threshold is a

leaf of the Sweet Flag (_Acorus gramineus_), or Artemisia, nailed on

either side of the doorway; always providing that the leaf is placed in

position early in the morning of the fifth Moon. The Chinese New Year

starts when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction, in _Aquarius_, so that

the fifth Moon would be at the time of the conjunction in _Gemini_.

Another household charm is to write “Show Fu” (long life and happiness)

in red on a piece of paper and to fix it opposite, or upon the door, to

ensure prosperity and good fortune.

JADE has always been prized by the Chinese for its talismanic virtues,

and is used extensively in various forms for personal adornment,

particularly as a wristlet to give physical strength and protect from

all ills.

Kwan Chung, writing in the seventh century B.C., relates that a piece

of Jade symbolises to the Chinese nine of the highest attainments of

Man--

“In its smoothness he recognises Benevolence,

In its high polish--Knowledge Emblematic,

In its unbending firmness--Righteousness,

In its modest harmlessness--Virtuous Actions.

In its rarity and spotlessness--Purity,

In the way it exposes every flaw--Ingenuousness,

In that it passes from hand to hand without being sullied--Moral

Conduct,

And in that when struck it gives forth a sweet note which floats

sharply and distinctly to a distance--Music.”

It is for these qualities that the Chinaman regards Jade as the most

precious of his possessions, both as a diviner of judgments and as a

valued charm of happy omen.

As a birthday gift to parents a long silken gown of the deepest blue is

frequently presented as a Talisman for longevity. In reality it is the

shroud which, sooner or later, will be worn by its owner to the grave;

but, as a man is thought by the Chinese to lay in a large stock of

renewed vital energy on his birthday, it is considered a fitting robe

for that occasion, being made by young unmarried girls with a long life

(it is presumed) before them. In a year which has an intercalary month,

its capacity for prolonging life is considered to be of unusually high

degree; moreover, it is embroidered all over with the word “longevity”

in thread of gold, the influence of this word being, it is believed,

absorbed into the being of its wearer, so that he may enjoy plenty

of health and vigour and prolong his life. It is considered an act

of the utmost piety to present one of these garments to an aged

parent or relative who, decked in this gorgeous shroud, receives the

congratulations of children and friends on festive occasions.

JAPANESE. Buddhism when it came to Japan about the sixth century was

readily accepted and allowed to establish itself side by side with

Shinto beliefs. A good many of its tenets and symbols having been

adopted and being still in use at the present time, Buddhist Talismans

similar to those worn in India and China are prevalent, the god Fulgen

being regarded as an incarnation of Buddha. The Shintos believe their

country was the birthplace of the Sun Goddess, whose descendants they

are, being also predestined to rule the country for ever and ever; thus

it is that ancestor-worship forms the basis of Shinto beliefs. The

country, it is believed, was in the first place begotten by two gods,

whose actions and impulses it is considered impossible for man with his

limited intelligence to judge.

There are numerous deities of Heaven and Earth, typifying human beings

of high degree, all brave men who are dead, or impressive formations of

Nature, such as the Sea, Mountains, Trees; also, by reason of something

strange, fearful, or wonderful in their nature, certain animals, the

Tiger, the Wolf, and Fox; and all forces that manifest in the elements,

such as Thunder, the Echo, Fire; in fact all things strange and

wonderful are deified under the name Kami, and have shrines dedicated

to their worship or are used in various forms as Talismans.

The Japanese believe that errors are the result of human weaknesses,

and can be expiated, or forgiven, and that the steadfast following of

the path of truth will win the approval of the gods, and bring them

finally to eternal life and the companionship of their beloved dead.

The female element is considered equal with the male, and occupies a

very high rank in the Shinto system in contrast to China, where women

have no status.

Fu-ku-ro-ku-jiu, the god of Fortune and Wisdom,

Fu-ku, Luck and Happiness,

Ro-ku, Wealth and Prosperity,

Jiu, Longevity, represented by a long-headed man with a staff,

attended by a Crane (sometimes he has the Fan of Power in one

hand and a scroll in the other), and is valued as a Talisman for

the qualities he represents;

Ebisu, the god of Plenty, the giver of daily food; and the

household god

Daikoku, the god of Love,

Benzaiben, the god of Grace and Beauty,

Bishamon, the god of Glory, with the Spear of Power in his right

hand, and in his left the Pagoda for Inspiration and Hope;

Benton, who gives fruitfulness to women, and

Hotei, the god of Contentment and Good Fortune

are all Talismans for the virtues which they express.

HOTEI (Illustration No. 42, Plate III), the children’s god, bringing

happiness and good fortune, is found in every household; he is

represented seated on his bag, which is well-filled with the good

things he dispenses, his corpulent figure denoting his high attainment

and personal importance.

THE EAGLE, because of his courage, fearlessness, tenacity, and

aggressiveness, is worn as a Talisman for good fortune, and Captain

Brinkley, in his book _Japan and China_, says:

“In November tens of thousands flock to the Eagle shrine to purchase

harbingers of luck in the shape of big rakes, parent potatoes, and

Millet dumplings. The Rake, as part of the paraphernalia of the

pursuer of gain, explains itself; the parent potato denotes humble

ambition, buried in the ground and grown in oblivion is at any rate

the parent of a family. Millet dumplings are associated with the

orthodox group of lucky articles by a play upon words--‘to clutch

Millet with wet hands’ is a popular metaphor for greed; Mochi, which

signifies a dumpling, therefore, signifies grasping largely and

holding firmly.”

THE DUMPLING is also regarded as a charm against the perils of wave and

flood, it being the sacred bread of the Nation, and in its circular

shape is the symbol of the Sun.

THE CARP (Illustration No. 37, Plate III) is worn as a Talisman for

endurance and pluck, because according to an old legend a Carp by the

exercise of these virtues succeeded in leaping all cataracts, and

in finally reaching the Chariot Cloud, which carried him to Heaven

and eternal happiness. On all festival days, the Carp plays a very

important part as a symbol of good fortune, and it is customary on

these occasions to send up large fish-shaped kites, one for each son,

the Carp being essentially a masculine Talisman.

As in China, Talismans frequently consist of inscriptions on paper,

invocations to one or other of the gods for success and good fortune,

the symbol of the god being used according to the purpose of the

Talisman. The sacred dog of Mitsumine is used as a protection from

robbers, the god Jurojin, the Stork, the Tortoise, or the Crane for

health and longevity.

A very popular charm for the latter purpose is the impression of a

child’s hand made by inking the hand, which is then pressed on to a

piece of paper. These paper Talismans are pasted up both inside and

outside the house and are considered to avert all evil influences.

In Tokio a popular charm consists of a thin piece of wood on which

is written the name of the famous shrine Narita; this is worn as a

luck-bringer, and for protection from all dangers.

Symbols of the Houses of the Zodiac are also used as Talismans, worked

in metal varying according to the House occupied by the Sun at the time

of birth.

A very important Talisman is the symbol Mitsu-Domoe, the triple form of

the source of life, representing the elements of Fire, Air, and Water.

It is worn to protect the household and person from Fire, Flood, and

Theft (see Illustration No. 43, Plate III). This diagram is considered

to symbolise ceaseless change, and is said by some authorities to have

had its origin in a three-limbed Swastika Cross.

THE FAN, which is regarded as an emblem of Power and Authority, is a

Talisman to ensure the safety of its wearers (Illustration No. 41,

Plate III).

THE HAMMER of Daikoku, the god of Wealth, is worn for success and good

fortune.

On the same plate, Illustration No. 46 represents the Keys of the

Granary, or storehouse, which are worn for love, wealth, and happiness.

THE ANCHOR is worn for security and safety.

ROCK CRYSTAL BALLS, mounted as charms, are worn as a preventative of

dropsy and other wasting diseases.

A charm popular with travellers is the leaf of the Teg-a-shiwa; the

Japanese say that the movements of this leaf in the wind resemble the

beckoning of a hand. When a relative is about to start on a journey

he is served with a meal of fish on one of these leaves in lieu of a

plate; when the meal is finished the leaf is hung over the door in the

belief that it will ensure well-being on his journey and a safe return.

A Talisman for luck and good fortune is a representation of Ota-fu-ku,

the joyful goddess, who is depicted with a chubby laughing face which

is painted on purses and little gifts exchanged between friends, and it

is thought that to look upon her face will bring prosperity, joy, and

good fortune.

At the New Year it is customary to hang a rope before dwellings, in

front of shrines, or to suspend it across the road to thwart evil

spirits and avert ill-luck; it is called SHINENAKA, and is made of

rice-straw plucked up by the roots, the ends being allowed to dangle

down at regular intervals.

To protect the house from demons, and to keep its occupants secure, a

bow is fixed to the roof ridge, and if tiles are used impressed with an

ornament like bubbles an efficient Talisman for protection against fire

is obtained. The Japanese believe that the materials, principally wood,

of which their temples are made become impregnated with favourable

influences, as the result of the services that are held in them, and as

these temples are entirely pulled down every twenty years there is a

great demand for the old wood, from which Talismans are made.

One of the most ancient temples is at Ise, where a shrine has been in

existence many hundreds of years B.C., and when this temple is broken

up thousands of pilgrims assemble to secure fragments of its precious

wood.

The temple is rebuilt of new wood exactly on the lines of the old one.

CHAPTER VI

Egyptian Beliefs--Crux Ansata--The Menat--The Two Plumes--The Single

Plume--The Nefer--The Cartouche--The Angles and Plummet--The God

Bes--Aper--The Tat--The Heart.

Of all civilisations known to us through history, that of ancient

Egypt is the most marvellous, most fascinating, and most rich in

occult significance; yet we have still much to discover, and although

we have the assurance of Herodotus that the Egyptians were “beyond

measure scrupulous in all matters appertaining to religion,” the

ancient religions--or such fragments as survive--appear at first

glance confusing and even grotesque. It is necessary to remember that

there was an inner as well as an outer theology, and that the occult

mysteries were accessible only to those valiant and strenuous initiates

who had successfully passed through a prolonged purification and course

of preparation austere and difficult enough to discourage all save the

most persistent and exalted spirits.

It is only available to us to wander on the outskirts of Egyptian

mythology. The most familiar symbolic figures are those of Isis the

Moon goddess, traditional Queen of Egypt, and Osiris her husband;

and when we read that Isis was the _sister_, _wife_, and _mother_ of

Osiris we must seek the inner meaning of the strange and impossible

relationship. It has been lucidly explained by Princess Karadja (in her

_King Solomon: a Mystic Drama_, 1912, pp. 130-31):

“Originally the dual souls are part of the same Divine Ego. They

are golden fruits upon the great Tree of Life: ‘male and female

He created them.’

Isis is the _Sister_ of Osiris because she is of Divine origin like

himself, and is a spirit of equal rank.

She is his _Wife_, because she alone can fill his highest cravings.

She is his _Mother_ because it is the mission of Woman to restore

Man unto spiritual life.”

How Osiris was slain by his brother Typhon (or Set), the Spirit of

Evil, and dismembered into fourteen fragments which were scattered and

hidden by the destroyer; how Isis, widowed and broken-hearted, sought

patiently until she found each fragment, and how Horus her son when

he grew to manhood challenged and conquered Typhon,--all this is the

figurative rendering of the eternal battle between light and darkness.

Typhon or Set symbolises autumn, decay, and destruction; Osiris

springtime, light, and the fertilising and growing powers of nature.

Isis is typified in many forms, but was especially revered as the

goddess of procreation, Universal Mother of the living, and protectress

of the spirits of the dead. Her symbol was the cow, and she is usually

depicted wearing cow’s horns, and between them the orb of the moon.

But more ancient and more exalted than Osiris was Ra, the Sun god,

whose worship was blended with that of Isis and her husband and

son. The priests of Ra established a famous temple at Heliopolis,

and founded a special system of solar worship. Just as the Emperor

Constantine subsequently fixed as saints’ days in the Christian

Church the days which had been dedicated to the ancient pagan gods,

so the priests of Ra adapted their cult to the tastes and notions of

the people, and a whole company of subordinate gods figured in the

religions of Lower Egypt for many centuries. Sometimes divine virtues

were portrayed in very material forms.

Between 4000 and 2000 B.C. the worship of Amen, or Amen Ra, as the

greatest god of the Egyptians, was established at Thebes, which became

the centre of religious teaching. The priests grew more and more

powerful until finally the High Priest of Amen--whose name means the

“_hidden one_”--became the King of Upper Egypt. Amen was regarded as

the Creator, with all the power and attributes of Ra the Sun god, and

as ruler of the lesser gods.

It has been asked why the Egyptians, who had no belief in a material

resurrection, took such infinite trouble to preserve the bodies of

their dead. They looked forward to a paradise in which eternal life

would be the reward of the righteous, and their creed inculcated faith

in the existence of a spiritual body to be inhabited by the soul which

had ended its earthly pilgrimage; but such beliefs do not explain the

care and attention bestowed upon the lifeless corpse. The explanation

must be sought in the famous _Book of the Dead_, representing the

convictions which prevailed throughout the whole of the Egyptian

civilisation from pre-dynastic times. Briefly, the answer to our

question is this: there was a Ka or double, in which the Heart-Soul was

located; this Ka, equivalent to the astral body of modern occultists,

was believed to be able to come into touch with material things through

the preserved or mummified body. This theory accords with the axiom

that each atom of physical substance has its relative equivalent on

the astral plane. It will therefore be understood how, in the ancient

religions, the image of a god was regarded as a medium through which

his powers could be manifested. “As above, so below”; every living

thing possessed some divine attribute.

Faith in prayer was an essential article of the Egyptian religion,

and the spoken word of a priest was believed to have strong potency,

because it had been the words of Ra uttered by Thoth which brought the

universe into being. Amulets inscribed with words were consequently

thought to ensure the fulfilment of the blessing expressed, or the

granting of the bliss desired.

The _Book of the Dead_ was not only a guide to the life hereafter,

wherein they would join their friends in the realms of eternal bliss,

but gave detailed particulars of the necessary knowledge, actions, and

conduct during the earthly life to ensure a future existence in the

spirit world, where everlasting life was the reward of the good and

annihilation the fate of the wicked, thus showing that the belief in

the existence of a future life was ever before them. Various qualities,

though primarily considered a manifestation of the Almighty, were

attributed each to a special god who controlled and typified one

particular virtue. This partly accounts for the multiplied numbers of

the Egyptian gods, and with the further complications that resulted

from invasions and the adoption of alien beliefs, the religious

philosophy of Egypt is not easy to follow, and is often seemingly

contradictory; but when we take into consideration the vast period

during which this Empire flourished it is natural that the external

manifestations of faith should have varied as time went on.

A knowledge of the life, death, and resurrection of Osiris is assumed,

and his worship in association with Isis and Horus, although not

necessarily under these names, is continuous. Horus is frequently

alluded to as the god of the ladder, and the mystic ladder seen by

Jacob in his vision, and the ladder of seven steps known to the

initiates of Egypt, Greece, Mexico, India, and Persia will be familiar

to all students of occultism.

Throughout the whole of the Egyptian civilisation, which lasted for at

least 6000 years, the influence and potency of Amulets, and Talismans,

was recognised in the religious services, each Talisman and Amulet

having a specified virtue.

Certain Amulets not only were worn during life, but were even attached

to the dead body. They are described in the following notes:

[Illustration: EGYPTIAN TALISMANS.

PLATE 4. _To face page 60._]

THE CRUX ANSATA, or Ankh (see Illustrations Nos. 47, 48, 49, Plate

IV), was known as the symbol of life, the loop at the top of the Cross

consisting of the hieroglyphic Ru (O) set in an upright form,

meaning the gateway, or mouth, the creative power being signified by

the loop which represents a fish’s mouth giving birth to water as

the life of the country, bringing the inundations and renewal of the

fruitfulness of the earth to those who depended upon its increase to

maintain life. It was regarded as the key of the Nile which overflowed

periodically and so fertilised the land.

It was also shown in the hands of the Egyptian kings, at whose

coronations it played an important part, and the gods are invariably

depicted holding this symbol of creative power; it was also worn to

bring knowledge, power, and abundance. Again, it had reference to the

spiritual life, for it was from the Crux Ansata, or Ankh, that the

symbol of Venus originated, the Circle over the Cross being the triumph

of Spirit, represented by the Circle, over matter, shown by the Cross.

THE MENAT (Illustrations Nos. 50, 53, Plate IV) were specially

dedicated to Hathor, who was a type of Isis, and was worn for conjugal

happiness, as it gave power and strength to the organs of reproduction,

promoting health and fruitfulness. It frequently formed a part of a

necklace, and was elaborately ornamented; No. 50, from the British

Museum, is a good specimen, the Cow being an emblem of the maternal

qualities which were the attributes of the goddess, who stood for all

that is good and true in Wife, Mother, and Daughter.

THE TWO PLUMES (Illustration No. 51, Plate IV) are Sun Amulets and the

symbols of Ra and Thoth, the two feathers being typical of the two

lives, spiritual and material. This was worn to promote Uprightness in

dealing, Enlightenment, and Morality, being symbolical of the great

gods of Light and Air.

THE SINGLE PLUME (Illustration No. 52, Plate IV) was an emblem of

Maat, the female counterpart of Thoth, who wears on her head the

feather characteristic of the phonetic value of her name; she was the

personification of Integrity, Righteousness, and Truth. Illustrations

Nos. 54, 55, 56, Plate IV, show three forms of

THE NEFER, a symbol of Good Luck, worn to attract Success, Happiness,

Vitality, and Friends.

THE CARTOUCHE, or Name Amulet (Illustration No. 61, Plate IV), was

worn to secure Favour, Recognition, and Remembrance, and to prevent

the name of its wearer being blotted out in the next world. This is a

very important Amulet, as the name was believed to be an integral part

of the man, without which his soul could not come before God, so that

it was most essential that the name should be preserved, in order, as

described in the _Book of the Dead_, “thou shalt never perish, thou

shalt never, never come to an end,” the loss of the name meaning the

total annihilation of the individual.

The Amulets of

THE ANGLES (see Illustrations Nos. 58, 59, Plate IV) and

THE PLUMMET (No. 60 on the same Plate) were symbols of the god Thoth,

and were worn for Moral Integrity, Wisdom, Knowledge, Order, and Truth.

Thoth was the personification of Law and Order, being the god who

worked out the Creation as decreed by the god Ra. He knew all the

words of power and the secrets of all hearts, and may be regarded as

the chief recording angel; he was also the inventor of all arts and

sciences.

BES, shown in Illustration No. 57, Plate IV, was a very popular

Talisman, being the god of Laughter, Merry-making, and Good Luck; by

some authorities he is considered to be a foreign importation from

pre-dynastic times, and he has been identified with Horus and regarded

as the god who renewed youth. He was also the patron of beauty, the

protector of children, and was undoubtedly the progenitor of the modern

Billiken.

Illustrations Nos. 62, 66, Plate V, are examples of

THE APER, which symbolised Providence and was worn for Steadfastness,

Stability, and Alertness.

THE TAT (Illustrations Nos. 63, 64, 65, Plate V) held a very important

place in the religious services of the Egyptians, and formed the

centre of the annual ceremony of the setting-up of the Tat, a service

held to commemorate the death and resurrection of Osiris, this symbol

representing the building-up of the backbone and reconstruction of the

body of Osiris. In their services the Egyptians associated themselves

with Osiris, through whose sufferings and death they hoped to rise

glorified and immortal, and secure Everlasting Happiness. The four

cross-bars symbolise the four cardinal points, and the four elements of

Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, and were often very elaborately ornamented

(see Illustration No. 64, Plate V, taken from an example at the British

Museum). It was worn as a Talisman for Stability and Strength, and for

Protection from enemies; also that all doors, (or opportunities,) might

be open both in this life and the next. Moreover, a Tat of gold set in

sycamore wood, which had been steeped in the water of Ankham flowers,

was placed at the neck of the deceased on the day of interment, to

protect him on his journey through the underworld and assist him in

triumphing over his foes, that he might become perfect for ever and

ever.

THE HEART was believed to be the seat of the Soul, and Illustrations

Nos. 67, 68, 69, Plate V, are examples of these Talismans worn to

prevent black magicians from bewitching the Soul out of the body. The

importance of these charms will be realised from the belief that if

the Soul left the Heart, the Body would quickly fade away and die.

According to Egyptian lore at the judgment of the dead the Heart is

weighed, when if found perfect, it is returned to its owner, who

immediately recovers his powers of locomotion and becomes his own

master, with strength in his limbs and everlasting felicity in his soul.

CHAPTER VII

The Buckle of the Girdle of Isis--The Scarab--The Eye of Osiris--The

Two Fingers--The Collar--The Hawk--The Sma--The Ladder and Steps--The

Snake’s Head--The Serpent--The Sun’s Disc--The Frog--The Fish--The

Vulture--The Sa, or Tie.

THE BUCKLE OF THE GIRDLE OF ISIS was worn to obtain the Good Will and

Protection of this goddess, and symbolised “the blood of Isis” and her

strength and power. Frequently made of Carnelian it was believed to

protect its wearer from every kind of evil; also to secure the good

will of Horus; and, when placed like the golden Tat at the neck of

the dead on the day of the funeral in the soul’s journey through the

under-world it opened up all hidden places and procured the favour of

Isis and her son, Horus, for ever and ever (see Illustrations Nos. 71,

72, 73, Plate V).

THE TIE, or SA (Illustration No. 70, Plate V) is the symbol of Ta-urt,

the Hippopotamus-headed goddess, who was associated with the god Thoth,

the personification of Divine Intelligence and Human Reason; it was

worn for magical protection.

[Illustration: EGYPTIAN TALISMANS.

PLATE 5. _To face page 66._]

THE SCARAB was the symbol of Khepera, a form of the Sun god who

transforms inert matter into action, creates life, and typifies the

glorified spiritual body that man shall possess at the resurrection.

From the enormous number of Scarabs that have been found, this must

have formed the most popular of the Talismans. The symbol was derived

from a Beetle, common in Egypt, which deposits its eggs in a ball of

clay, the action of the insect in rolling this ball along the ground

being compared with the Sun itself in its progress across the sky;

and as the ball contained the living germ which, (under the heat of

the Sun,) hatched out into a Beetle, so the Scarab became the symbol

of Creation. It is also frequently seen holding the disc of the Sun

between its claws, with wings extended, and it is thought by some

authorities that the Scarab was taken as an emblem of the Sun, because

the burial of its ball was symbolic of the setting sun from which new

life arises with each dawn.

Scarabs of green stones with rims of gold were buried in the heart

of the deceased, or laid upon the breast, with a written prayer for

his protection on the Day of Judgment, whilst words of power were

frequently recited over the Scarab which was placed under the coffin as

an emblem of immortality so that no fiend could harm the dead in his

journey through the under-world. It is said the Scarab was associated

with burial as far back as the IVth dynasty (about 4600 B.C.); it

represented matter about to pass from a state of inertness into

active life, so was considered a fitting emblem of resurrection and

immortality, typifying not only the Sun’s disc, but the evolutions of

the Soul throughout eternity. It was also worn by the Egyptian warriors

in their signet rings for Health, Strength, and Virility, it being

thought that this species of Beetle was all males, so that it would

attract all manly qualities, both of mind and body. For this reason it

was very popular as presents between friends, many scarabs being found

with good wishes or mottoes engraved on the under side, and some of

the kings used the back of scarabs to commemorate historical events;

one in the British Museum records the slaughter of 102 fierce lions by

Amenhetep III, with his own hand (see Illustrations Nos. 74, 75, Plate

VI).

Next to the Scarab, the ancient Egyptians attached much importance to

the

EYE AMULET, which, from the earliest Astral Mythology, was first

represented by the point within the circle ☉ and was associated with

the god of the Pole Star, which, from its fixity, was taken as a type

of the Eternal, unchangeable as time rolled on, and thus a fitting

emblem of Fixity of Purpose, Poise, and Stability. Later it was one

of the hieroglyphic signs of the Sun god Ra, and represented the One

Supreme Power casting his Eye over all the world, and instead of the

point within the circle is sometimes represented as a widely open

Eye. This symbol was also assigned to Osiris, Isis, Horus, and Ptah;

the Amulet known as the Eye of Osiris being placed upon the incision

made in the side of the body (for the purpose of embalming) to watch

over and guard the soul of the deceased during its passing through the

darkness of the tomb to the life beyond.

It was also worn by the living to ensure Health and Protection from the

blighting influence of workers in black magic, and for the stability,

strength, and courage of Horus, the wisdom and understanding of Ptah,

and the foresight of Isis.

It was also extensively used in necklaces on account of the idea that

representations of the Eye itself would watch over and guard its

wearer from the malignant glances of the envious, it being universally

believed that the fiery sparks of jealousy, hatred, and malice darting

from the eyes of angry persons, envious of the good looks, health,

and success of the fortunate ones, could so poison the surrounding

atmosphere as even to cause sickness, decay, and death; horses were

thought particularly liable to this injurious influence, and Talismans

to avert such a misfortune to them were hung on their foreheads, or

over the left eye.

Examples of Eye Amulets are illustrated on Plate VI, Nos. 79, 80, and

81.

When two eyes are used together the right eye is symbolic of Ra, or

Osiris and the Sun; whilst the left eye represents Isis, or the Moon,

and is sometimes called the Amulet of the two Utchats: the word Utchat,

signifying “strength,” being applied to the Sun when he enters the

summer solstice about June 22nd, his strength and power on earth being

greatest at that time.

The Talisman of the

TWO FINGERS (Illustration No. 82, Plate VI) was symbolical of Help,

Assistance, and Benediction, typified by the two fingers extended by

Horus to assist his father in mounting the ladder suspended between

this world and the next. This Amulet was frequently placed in the

interior of the mummified body to enable the departed to travel quickly

to the regions of the blest. Amongst the ancient Egyptians the fingers

were ever considered an emblem of Strength and Power, the raising of

the first two fingers being regarded as a sign of Peace and Good Faith;

the first finger being the indicator of divine will and justice and the

only one that can stand erect by itself alone; the second representing

the Holy Spirit, the Mediator, a symbolism handed down to us in the

extension of the index and medius in the ecclesiastical benediction. It

is also interesting to note that at the marriage ceremony in olden days

the ring was first placed on the thumb, as typical of Man’s allegiance

to God, and lastly on the third finger of his bride to show that next

to God in the Trinity, a man’s life should be devoted to his wife.

THE COLLAR AMULET (Illustrations Nos. 83, 84, Plate VI) was a symbol of

Isis, and was worn to procure her protection and the strength of her

son Horus. In both examples the head of the Hawk appears, this bird

being attributed to Horus as well as to Ra. This collar, which was

made of gold, was engraved with words of power and seems to have been

chiefly used as a funeral amulet.

THE SMA (Illustration No. 85, Plate VI) was a favourite Amulet from the

dawn of Egyptian history, and is frequently used in various forms of

decorated art. It was symbolical of Union and Stability of Affection,

and was worn to strengthen love and friendship and ensure physical

happiness and faithfulness.

THE LADDER is a symbol of Horus, and was worn to secure his assistance

in overcoming and surmounting difficulties in the material world, as

well as to form a connection with the Heaven world, or Land of Light.

The earliest traditions place this Heaven world above the earth, its

floor being the sky, and to reach this a ladder was deemed necessary.

From the Pyramid texts it seems there were two stages of ascent to the

upper Paradise, represented by two ladders, one being the ladder of

Sut, forming the ladder of ascent from the land of darkness, and the

other the ladder of Horus reaching the Land of Light (Illustration No.

86, Plate VI).

THE STEPS (Illustrations Nos. 87, 88, Plate VI) are a symbol of Osiris,

who is described as the god of the staircase, through whom it was hoped

the deceased might reach the Heaven world and attain everlasting bliss.

[Illustration: EGYPTIAN TALISMANS.

PLATE 6. _To face page 72._]

THE SNAKE’S HEAD Talisman (Illustration No. 89, Plate VI) was worn to

protect its wearer from the attacks of Rerek, or Apep, the servant of

Set, who was typified as a terrible serpent, which when killed had the

power of rising in new forms and who obstructed the passage to the

Heaven world. The serpent, although sometimes assumed to be a form of

evil, was generally regarded as a protecting influence, and for this

reason was usually sculptured on either side of the doorways to the

tombs of kings, temples, and other sacred buildings to guard the dead

from enemies of every kind, and to prevent the entrance of evil in any

shape or form. It was also placed round the heads of Divinities and

round the crowns of their kings as a symbol of royal might and power,

being one of the forms or types of Tem the son of Ptah, who is thought

by some authorities to have been the first living man god of the

Egyptians, and the god of the setting sun (in contrast to Horus, who

was the god of the rising sun) Tem was typified by a huge snake, and it

is curious to note in connection with this that amongst country folk at

the present day there is a popular belief that a serpent will not die

until the sun goes down.

THE SUN’S DISC Talismans (Illustrations No. 90, 92, Plate VII) are

symbols of the god Ra, No. 92 being appropriately placed upon the head

of a Ram, the symbol of the Zodiacal house Aries, in which sign the sun

is exalted. It was worn for Power and Renown, and to obtain the favours

of the great ones, being also an emblem of new birth and resurrection.

THE FROG Talisman (Illustration No. 91, Plate VII) was highly esteemed,

and is an attribute of Isis, being worn to attract her favours and for

fruitfulness. Because of its fertility its hieroglyphic meaning was an

immense number. It was also used as a symbol of Ptah, as it represented

life in embryo, and by the growth of its feet after birth it typified

strength from weakness, and was worn for recovery from disease, also

for Health and Long Life, taking the place sometimes of the Crux

Ansata or Ankh, as a symbol of Life.

THE PILLOW (Illustration No. 93, Plate VII) was used for preservation

from sickness and against pain and suffering; it was also worn for the

favour of Horus, and was placed with the dead as a protection and to

prevent violation of the Tomb.

THE LOTUS (Illustrations No. 94, 95, Plate VII) is a symbol with two

meanings. Emblematical of the Sun in the ancient days of Egypt and

typifying Light, Understanding, Fruitfulness, and Plenty, it was

believed to bring the favours of the god Ra. Later it is described

as “the pure Lily of the Celestial Ocean,” the symbol of Isis, who

is sometimes alluded to as “the White Virgin.” It became typical of

Virginity and Purity, and having the double virtue of chastity and

fecundity it was alike prized for Maiden- and Mother-hood.

THE FISH Talisman (Illustrations Nos. 96, 97, Plate VII) is a symbol

of Hathor (who controlled the rising of the Nile), as well as an

Amulet under the influence of Isis and Horus. It typified the primeval

Creative principle and was worn for domestic felicity, Abundance, and

general Prosperity.

THE VULTURE Talisman (Illustration No. 98, Plate VII) was worn to

protect from the bites of Scorpions, and to attract Motherly Love and

Protection of Isis, who (it was believed) assumed the form of a vulture

when searching for her son Horns, who, in her absence, had been stung

to death by a Scorpion. Thoth, moved by her lamentations, came to earth

and gave her “the Words of Power,” which enabled her to restore Horus

to life. For this reason, it was thought that this Amulet would endow

its wearer with power and wisdom so that he might identify himself with

Horus and partake of his good fortune in the fields of eternal bliss.

THE SCEPTRE (Illustrations Nos. 76, 77, 78, Plate VI) is a symbol of

Isis, typifying power over the fruits of the earth, and was worn to

preserve and renew youth and vigour, and to attract physical strength

and virility.

It is, of course, difficult and futile to speculate as to the extent

of the influence these Egyptian Amulets and Talismans exercised over

this ancient people, but in the light of our present knowledge we feel

that the religious symbolism they represented, the conditions under

which they were made, the faith in their efficacy, and the invocations

and “words of power” which in every case were a most essential part of

their mysterious composition makes them by far the most interesting of

any yet dealt with.

CHAPTER VIII

Gnosticism--Abraxas--Sacred Names--Khnoubis--The Seven Vowels--The

Magic Symbols--The Archangels--Lion-headed Serpent--Aum--The

Ineffable Name--Horus--Osiris--Isis--Etruscan, Greek, and

Roman--The Crescent Symbol--The Horseshoe--Tusk, or Horn--Stable

Keys--Amalthæa’s Horn, or Cornucopia--Serapis--Bull’s

Head--Diana--Harpokrates--Anubis--Bellerophon--Salus Ring--Hygiea.

Gnosticism is the name given to a system of religion which came

into existence in the Roman Empire about the time Christianity was

established; it was founded on a philosophy known in Asia Minor

centuries previously and apparently based upon the Egyptian beliefs,

the Zendavesta, Buddhism, and the Kabala, with their conception of the

perpetual conflict between good and evil.

The name is derived from the Greek _Gnosis_, meaning knowledge, and, in

brief, the Gnostics’ belief was that the intellectual world, with its

Spirits, Intelligences, and various Orders of Angels were created by

the Almighty, and that the visible matter of creation was an emanation

from these powers and forces.

The attributes of the Supreme Being were those of Kabala: Wisdom--Jeh,

Prudence--Jehovah, Magnificence--El, Severity--Elohim, Victory and

Glory--Zaboath, Empire--Adonai; the Gnostics also took from the Talmud

the Planetary Princes and the Angels under them.

Basilides, the Gnostic Priest, taught that God first created (1)

_Nous_, or mind, from this emanated (2) _Logos_, the Word, from this

(3) _Phronesis_, Intelligence, and from this (4) _Sophia_, Wisdom,

and from this last (5) _Dynamis_, Strength. The Almighty was known

as Abraxas, which signifies in Coptic “the Blessed Name,” and was

symbolised by a figure, the head of which is that of a Cock, the body

that of a man, with serpents forming the legs; in his right hand he

holds a whip, and on his left arm is a shield. This Talisman (see

Illustrations Nos. 102, 103, Plate VII) is a combination of the five

emanations mentioned above: _Nous_ and _Logos_ are expressed by the two

serpents, symbols of the inner sense and understanding, the head of the

Cock representing _Phronesis_, for foresight and vigilance; the two

arms hold the symbols of _Sophia_ and _Dynamis_, the Shield of Wisdom

and the Whip of Power, worn for protection from moral and physical ill.

The Gnostics had great faith in the efficacy of sacred names and sigils

when engraved on stones as Talismans; also in magical symbols derived

principally from the Kabala.

One of the most popular inscriptions was IAW (Jehovah), and in

Illustration No. 99, Plate VII, this is shown surrounded by the Serpent

KHNOUBIS, taken from the Egyptian philosophy, representing the Creative

principles, and was worn for Vitality, Understanding, and Protection.

The Seven Greek Vowels (Illustration No. 100, Plate VII) symbolised

the seven heavens, or Planets, whose harmony keeps the Universe in

existence, each vowel having seven different methods of expression

corresponding with a certain Force, the correct utterance of these

letters and comprehension of the forces typified being believed to

confer supreme power, bringing success in all enterprises and giving

complete control over all the powers of darkness.

Illustration No. 101, Plate VII, is an example of the use of the

Magic Symbols, the meaning of which has been lost. It is probably a

composition of the initial letters of some mystical sigil, enclosed by

a serpent and the names of the Archangels Gabriel, Paniel, Ragauel,

Thureiel, Souriel, and Michael. It was worn for Health and Success;

also for Protection from all evils, and it is cut in an agate and set

in a gold mount.

A figure of a serpent with a lion’s head, usually surrounded with a

halo, was worn to protect its wearer from heart and chest complaints

and to drive away demons.

[Illustration: EGYPTIAN AND GNOSTIC TALISMANS.

PLATE 7. _To face page 78._]

The mystic Aum, already described in the chapter on Indian Talismans,

was also a favourite with the Gnostics, and equally popular was a

Talisman composed of the vowels Ι Α Ω, repeated to make twelve, this

number representing the Ineffable Name of God, which, according to the

Talmud, was only communicated to the most pious of the priesthood. They

also adopted from the Egyptians the following symbols: _Horus_, usually

represented seated on a Lotus, for fertility; _Osiris_, usually in the

form of a mummified figure, for spiritual attainment; and _Isis_ for

the qualities mentioned in the previous chapter.

ETRUSCAN, GREEK, AND ROMAN. The Etruscans, Greeks, and Romans were

all familiar with and great believers in the virtues of Talismans and

Amulets, a belief based not only on the symbols of their own faith but

largely influenced by the beliefs of the surrounding nations, that of

the Egyptians being particularly noticeable. Amongst the earliest and

most popular Talismans are many Scarab rings with inscriptions cut in

the under sides; these were frequently used as seals.

In the course of the amalgamation of beliefs which took place under the

Ptolemies, Isis and Osiris were associated with all kinds of Asiatic

and Greek gods; but, as time went on, Isis became the most universal

goddess, ruling heaven and earth and all Mankind, her worship quickly

spreading throughout all the Roman dominions. Her name is usually

understood to mean Wisdom, and upon the pavement of her temple was

inscribed, “I am everything that has been, and is, and shall be, nor

hath any mortal opened my veil.”

The most common symbol of Isis was a Crescent Moon, which was worn

by Roman women upon their shoes as a safeguard from witchcraft and

to prevent the evil spirits of the moon from afflicting them with

delusions, hysteria, or lunacy; also to attract the good-will of

Isis that they might be successful in love, happy in motherhood, and

fortunate in life. From this Crescent symbol (Illustration No. 113,

Plate VIII) the Horseshoe undoubtedly became regarded as a Talisman,

and as such was used by the Greeks and Romans, who nailed it with the

horns upward as a charm against the Plague. In an old publication of

1618 we are instructed that the horseshoe should be nailed upon the

threshold to keep Luck within the house and to keep out witches and

nullify their evil powers; but in order to obtain the best results the

horseshoe must be found by the owner of the house or by a member of

the household. In the Middle Ages horseshoes were frequently buried

amongst the roots of an Ash tree, which imparted such virtue to the

Ash that a twig from it stroked upward over cattle that had been

overlooked, charmed away the evil. In Suffolk the fishermen still

believe that a horseshoe nailed to the mast of a smack will protect it

against bad weather, and their Newfoundland brothers use the horseshoe

as a specific against many dangers, especially as a charm to keep away

the Devil. In this superstition they resemble the miners of Devon

and Cornwall who fix a horseshoe to the mine with the horns upward,

it being common knowledge that the Devil travels in a circle and is

consequently frustrated in his evil course when he arrives at either of

the horns and is obliged to take a retrograde course. To this day, it

is still regarded by the country-folk as essential to the well-being of

the finder of this charm to suspend it horns upward over the door of

his dwelling to hold the luck in, it being thought to run out at each

end of the horseshoe if reversed. In Gay’s fable of the Old Woman and

Her Cats the witch complains:

“Crowds of boys

Worry me with eternal noise.

Straws laid across my path retards,

The Horse shoes nailed each threshold guards.

The stunted broom the Wenches hide

In fear that I should up and ride.”

THE SINGLE HORN, or TUSK, both singly, or as a pendant to another

Talisman, as Illustration No. 106, Plate VIII, in all probability had

its origin in the double horns, or Crescent, of Isis. It was worn to

protect from harm, danger, and the evil influences of enemies, and also

as a powerful charm to attract good fortune and success.

It is frequently mentioned in the Old and New Testaments, and in 2

Samuel xxii, 3, and Psalm xviii, 2 the Almighty is described as the

“Horn of my Salvation”; and St. Luke in the first chapter, 69th and

71st verses, writes:

“Hath raised up an horn of Salvation.” “That we should be saved from

our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us.”

The Horn, being a symbol of Isis, was considered a powerful charm to

which to attach the keys of stables and cowsheds, ensuring the safety

of the cattle and their protection from the evil spirits of the night,

a practice that has been followed from remote ages to the present day,

although its origin is not generally known amongst its modern users.

In India it is also a common belief amongst the natives that a Tiger’s

tooth will ensure protection from the ghosts of men and animals, making

its wearer formidable to his foes and respected by his friends.

According to Pliny, the tooth of a Wolf was thought by the Romans to

be a powerful Talisman for children, it being hung horizontally or

suspended round the neck. It assisted them in cutting their teeth, and

preserved them from maladies in connection with dentition.

THE CORNUCOPIA, or Amalthæa’s Horn of Plenty, is the symbol of

Abundance, Fruitfulness, and Prosperity, and is represented by a horn

filled to overflowing with fruits and flowers, as Illustration No. 118,

Plate VIII. Amalthæa was the daughter of Melissus (the King of Crete)

who nursed the infant Jupiter, feeding him with the milk of a goat.

Jupiter afterwards gave the goat’s horn to his nurse, endowing it with

magical properties, so that whosoever possessed it should immediately

obtain in abundance all he desired and find it a veritable “horn of

plenty.” It is also a symbol of the goddess Fortuna, and was worn as an

Amulet to attract good fortune in abundance.

With the introduction of Isis came also that of Osiris-Apis with whom

the Greeks identified their god of the under-world Hades under the name

of Serapis. His symbol is the Bull Apis, which was of divine origin and

known by special markings, being black in colour and having a white

triangle upon its forehead, the figure of a Vulture on its back,

double hairs in its tail, and a scarab under its tongue.

The symbol of the Bull’s Head (see Illustration No. 108, Plate VIII)

was commonly worn as earrings, for success in love and friendship, and

as the god of Hades could lengthen or shorten men’s lives as he thought

fit, the Bull’s Head was also worn by men for Strength and Long Life.

To gain favour and protection small images of the Deities were worn

as ornaments, such as Diana of Ephesus, Mithras, and especially

Harpokrates and Anubis (Illustrations Nos. 104, 107, Plate VIII).

HARPOKRATES, the god of eternal youth and fecundity, was typified by

the figure of a boy holding his tongue, representing all that is ever

fresh and young; he is the type of the Vernal Sun, bringing fertility

to the land, enabling it to produce both food and drink. He is also

frequently represented seated on a Lotus, the symbol of the Sun and

fecundity.

ANUBIS is symbolised as a Jackal-headed god who, in the Egyptian

religion, is depicted in the Judgment as weighing the souls of the

dead; he is the Guardian of Souls in the under-world.

Gems bearing the figure of Bellerophon mounted on the winged steed

Pegasus were believed to confer courage and were much prized by the

Greek and Roman soldiers, Bellerophon being reputed to have first

taught the art of governing horses with a bridle; this service to

mankind and the valour he displayed when he slew the Chimæra, made him

a fitting prototype to adorn a warrior’s device.

Another engraved Talisman in great favour was the figure of Andromeda,

heroine of one of the most romantic and popular of ancient myths. The

sea-nymphs, jealous of her beauty, chained her to a rock in mid-ocean,

that she might be at the mercy of a vile monster of the deep. But the

warrior Perseus slew the monster, and married Andromeda. Her image was

thought to promote harmony between lovers and peace between man and

wife.

THE SALUS RING (Illustration No. 112, Plate VIII) was worn by the

devotees of Salus, or Hygiea, daughter of Æsculapius, who was

worshipped as the goddess of Health. Several holy days were appointed

in her honour and worship, and she was publicly invoked for the

welfare of the rulers and for the general peace and prosperity of the

community; also for an abundant harvest. She is usually represented

with a serpent as a tribute to her attainments in the art of medicine,

and her symbol was worn for Health and Success in all undertakings, as

well as for general Good Fortune.

CHAPTER IX

The Bulla--The Tusk--Pine Cone--The Frog--Skull of an Ass--Key

Talismans--Grylli, or Chimeræ--Goat--The Ox--Lion--Eagle--The

Caduceus--Mercury--Health Rings--Boar’s Head--Clenched Hand--Open

Hand--Figured Hands--The Lizard--The Spider--The Fish--Snails.

Bulla is the name given to a gold case, circular or heart-shaped, used

in necklaces or worn separately as a pendant, sometimes attached as

an ornament to a belt or badge which was placed over one shoulder and

under the opposite arm. Macrobius says it was the special decoration of

the victorious general in the triumphant processions, having enclosed

within it such remedies as were esteemed most efficacious against the

evil glance of envy.

Introduced into Rome by the Etruscans, it became very popular and

was adopted as the badge of free-born boys; it usually contained an

invocation to one or more of the gods. Among the poorer classes the

golden case was replaced by a leathern pouch, with contents of similar

virtue.

It was a common practice to wear on the Bulla some grotesque object

(see Illustration No. 106, Plate VIII) which added to its efficacy

as a Talisman, and in particular averted the evil glance; to save its

wearer from the Evil Eye a tusk in the form of a pendant was frequently

added to accentuate its efficacy.

THE PINE CONE, the symbol of Cybele the goddess of abundant benefits,

was worn by her votaries for Health, Wealth, and Power, and all good

and necessary things which flow in abundance without ceasing from her

influence. She had many names, and was called by the Greeks, Pasithea,

signifying Mother, as she was the great mother of all the gods. Her

priests were famous for their magical powers, and it was customary to

fix her symbol, the Pine Cone, on a pole in the vineyards, to protect

them from blight and witchcraft, a practice still to be seen in Italy

at the present time, and presumably this was the origin of the Pine

Cones which surmount the gateways at the entrances of some of the

carriage drives of old country seats (see Illustration No. 117, Plate

VIII); it also survives as an ornament to the spikes of iron railings

enclosing the grounds of old-fashioned houses on the outskirts of many

of our provincial towns.

THE FROG (Illustration No. 119, Plate VIII) is a symbol of Aphrodite,

the goddess of love born from the foam of the sea. In Rome a special

temple was dedicated to her worship. Her symbol, the frog, was worn

for fertility and abundance. Pliny attributes to it the power of

keeping the affections true and constant, and of promoting harmonious

relations between lovers and friends.

It is a very popular Talisman amongst the Italians, Greeks, and Turks

at the present day and is worn not only against the Evil Eye but is

particularly valued as a Health Amulet, especially when cut in Amber.

THE SKULL OF AN ASS, set up on a pole in the midst of a cornfield, was

considered a potent charm against blight, and in Greece and Rome was

placed in vineyards for the same purpose; it was sacred to Priapus, the

god of the gardens, which he was thought to protect from thieves, wild

beasts, and mischievous birds. There is a legend that the Ass was held

in high estimation, as by gnawing the branches of the vine it taught

the art of pruning.

THE KEY Talisman was a very important one with both Greeks and Romans.

It is the joint symbol of Janus (or Apollo) and Jana, his wife (Diana,

or the Moon), and was worn for Prudence, and for Remembrance of things

past, and foresight of things to come, Janus being represented as the

God with two faces, typifying the prudent man who with sagacity and

ripe judgment observes things past and future possibilities, and so

discerns the causes and effects of all happenings. Janus was also the

inventor of locks, doors, and gates, and was the Janitor of the year,

for which reason twelve cities were dedicated to him, according to the

months; and he held the Key of the Door through which the prayers of

the faithful had access to the gods.

Diana, or Jana, his wife, presided over doors and thresholds and was

the special protectress of childbirth, and as keeper of the Gate of

Heaven held the key of light and life.

Some of these ancient key Amulets were made in silver (Diana’s own

metal) and have heart-shaped handles, implying, it is thought by some

writers, that the affections must be prudently guarded. The key was

also attributed to Hecate Proserpine, who was the guardian of the

underworld and could release the spirits of the departed. The key

(Illustration No. 110, Plate VIII) is shown attached to a finger ring,

which was a very popular form of its use.

GRYLLI, or Chimeræ, were grotesque figures belonging to an early period

of Roman art, and not, as sometimes asserted, characteristic of Gnostic

remains. They consist of strange combinations of various animal forms,

representing some strange, ludicrous, impossible monster such as a

Goat, Ox, Lion, and Eagle united into one. They were used as Talismans

and Amulets according to the ideas they portrayed, being sometimes

Astrological in their significance and at other times representative

of some form of Grecian or Roman religion. Plutarch writes that these

composite objects were fixed up to ward off witchcraft and the evil

effects of the first glance of the Evil Eye, it being thought that

if the mischief-working eye could be diverted from the object to be

protected on to the strange and ridiculous figures represented by

the “GRYLLI” the glance would be absorbed and its effects destroyed.

“Grylli” is derived from the modern Italian word “grillo,” meaning

caprice. The Rev. C. W. King in his interesting book on engraved gems

instances a Talisman of this kind intended to attract Sunshine and

Abundance, also designed as a protection against dangers on land or

sea. It was made up as follows:--

“A Ram with a Cornucopia on his head, holding a Rabbit by its tail

(signifying fruitfulness and plenty) and a Cock bestride a Dolphin (the

Cock being a symbol of the Sun, the Rabbit the Land, and the Dolphin

the Sea). These Chimeræ often encircled a portrait of the owner, thus

unmistakably conveying to him their protective virtues.”

THE CADUCEUS, the wand of Mercury (Illustration No. 105, Plate VIII),

was considered an extremely efficient Talisman, being worn to render

its possessor wise and persuasive, to attract Health and Youthfulness,

as well as to protect from the Evil Eye.

THE ROD was given to Mercury by Apollo, and had the wonderful faculty

of deciding all controversies and conferring irresistible eloquence

on its owner. Its efficacy was proved, when one day whilst travelling

Mercury came upon two serpents fighting, and by placing his rod

between them and exercising his eloquence, he immediately reconciled

the combatants. Mutually embracing they became attached to the rod,

thus forming the Caduceus. Mercury received his name from his shrewd

understanding of merchandise; he was the inventor of contracts, weights

and measures, and of the arts of buying and selling; for this reason he

was regarded as the patron of Merchants and Traders.

He invented letters, excelled in eloquence, and was so skilful in

making peace, that he is said to have pacified not only men but the

immortal gods of Heaven and Hell, whose quarrels he adjusted; for

this reason he was known by the Greeks as Hermes. In its composition

the Pine Cone, which surmounts the staff, was credited with great

health-giving powers; is a symbol of Apollo, or the Sun; the wings

are emblematic of the flight of thoughts in the minds of men, the

two serpents in amity signifying love prototypes of Æsculapius and

Hygiea who influence the health-giving attributes of the Sun and Moon

respectively, both deities being associated with serpents because

by their aid maladies are sloughed off and vigour renewed, just as

serpents were believed to renew their lives each year by casting their

skins.

With the Romans the Serpent was a household god, and Livy records

that, by the advice of the Delphic Oracle, the bringing of a sacred

serpent from the temple of Æsculapius to Rome immediately stayed the

pestilence then raging. The wearing of a ring in the form of a serpent

coiled round the finger, signified an invocation to the God of Health

for preservation from sickness. Health rings were much in vogue amongst

the Ancient Romans, who frequently presented their friends with such

tokens on their birthdays, these anniversaries being considered the

most important festivals. A favourite device was an intaglio cut in

the ring itself, portraying the head of a youth, and the word “Vivas”

(Mayst thou live). It was also believed that a Boar’s Head engraved

upon a ring conferred perpetual health and preservation from danger

(the Boar being sacred to Demeter); whilst a ring engraved with

three Ravens was worn for conjugal fidelity. Another device was that

of a human head attached to an elephant’s trunk, holding a trident

(the symbol of Neptune), which was worn as a protective charm against

peril by sea. Charmed rings have also been much in favour with many

nations, the Greeks being very partial to enchanted rings, which were

made according to the favourable positions of the planets, their power

being strengthened when the head and neck of the owner was cut in green

jasper and set in a ring engraved with the letters B.B.P.P.N.E.N.A.,

which signified “Wear this and thou shalt in no wise perish.” Whether

hallowed in the name of God or consecrated by the touch of the Pope, or

of Royal personages, the ring has ever been the chosen Talisman through

which Health, Wealth, and Love was transmitted to its wearer.

THE HAND, aptly described by Aristotle as the “Tool of Tools,” was used

in many forms as a Talisman against fascination, and similar specimens

to Illustration No. 109, Plate VIII have been found in early Etruscan

tombs, dating back about 800 B.C. This particular form, the thumb

placed between the first and second fingers with the hand clenched and

pointing downwards, was considered an infallible protection against all

evil influences, particularly against the Evil Eye. Another form was

to close the second and third fingers with the thumb and to hold the

hand pointing downward with the first and fourth fingers extended, a

form which is known in Italy at the present time as making the Devil’s

Horns. The position of the hand in these ancient Amulets was very

important; the open hand denoting Justice and Victory, and in this

form sometimes surrounded by a wreath of laurel was used by the Romans

as a finial to their standards, and carried in triumphal processions.

In the British Museum may be seen a life-sized hand in bronze in the

form assumed in the Benediction of the Christian Church, the third

and fourth fingers being closed, with thumb and first two fingers

extended; this form has its efficacy as a Talisman against the Evil Eye

increased by numerous other symbols (already dealt with), a pine cone

being balanced on the finger-tips, a serpent running along the whole

length of the back of the hand and towering above the third finger;

and, amongst others, the Asp, Lizard, Caduceus, Frog, and Scales may be

seen, all probably connected with the worship of Isis and Serapis. This

form, known as _Mano Pantea_, and the life-sized hands were kept in the

house as Talismans to protect it against every evil influence of magic

and of the Evil Eye, whilst small replicas were worn as Amulets for

personal protection.

[Illustration: ETRUSCAN, GREEK, ROMAN, AND ORIENTAL TALISMANS.

PLATE 8. _To face page 95._]

THE LIZARD and the Tortoise were symbols of Mercury, and the Caduceus

is frequently depicted placed between them on ancient Talismans. The

Lizard is also to be found engraved on many of the old Roman rings,

and was used as a charm against weak eyesight, the brilliant green of

its body, like the Emerald, causing it to be held in high esteem, both

spiritually and physically. It was a type of the _Logos_, or “Divine

Wisdom,” and was placed upon the breast of Minerva, as frequently seen

on ancient engraved gems. It is also found in Portugal made of painted

porcelain and affixed to the walls of houses to attract Good Fortune.

THE SPIDER, like the Lizard, was sacred to Mercury and was considered

a most fortunate symbol engraved on precious stones, its remarkable

quickness of sight recommending it as a Talisman for shrewdness in

business matters and foresight generally; and according to an old

writer, prognostications were made from the manner of weaving spiders’

webs, and it was deemed a sign that a man would receive money if a

little spider fell upon his clothes.

THE EAGLE was typical of Jupiter because it predominates over birds of

highest flight, and it was worn as a Talisman for Dignity, quickness

of Perception, and the Favour of those who sit in high places.

Marcellus Empiricus prescribes the wearing of a ring as a preservative

from Colic and Watery Diseases. This Talisman was made of gold thread

melted down and engraved with the figure of a fish; such a ring exists

in the Florentine Cabinet and may be seen at the present day.

SNAILS were also used in love divinations by the Ancient Romans; they

were set to crawl upon the hearth and were thought to trace in the

ashes the initials of the lover’s name.

CHAPTER X

The Orient--The Koran--Jochebed--Bead Necklaces--Mashallah--Hassan

and Hussein--Hand of the Lady Fatima--Five Principal

Commandments--Zufur Tukiah--Nasiree--Gadiri--Mohammed--Merzoum--The

Diamond--Cube of Amber--Scorpion-charming--Early Christian and

Mediæval Talismans--Clement of Alexandria--The Fish--Dag--Palm

Branch--The Ship--Sacred Monogram--Shen--Constantine the

Great--Thoth--The Cross--Household Cross--Yucatan--Hand and

Cross--Wheel Cross.

A belief in Talismans and Charms of every kind is universal in the

Orient; written prayers, verses from the Koran, the name of the

Prophet, and even miniature editions of the Koran itself enclosed in

leather or cloth cases, suspended from the neck or tied to the arm,

being the most favoured. The belief in the power of the Evil Eye is

also widespread, and charms of the kind above-recorded are frequently

written on pieces of wood which are fixed to door-posts or trees in

the gardens to prevent the harmful glance from resting on the house or

plants; should the wood crack it is believed that the injury would have

been done had not the glance been intercepted by the Talisman on guard.

Another charm of great potency is the name “Jochebed,” being the name

of the Mother of Moses. By its constant repetition it is believed to

reveal hidden secrets, unfasten locked doors, and discover treachery

and evil doings.

Whilst necklaces and armlets made of the beads of Kerbela are worn upon

the person, or put into bales of goods to protect them from thieves,

Amulets enclosed in leather are hung on the necks of horses to prevent

them from stumbling. Other Talismans consist of discs of gold, or

silver, with the word “Mashallah” (God is Great) engraved upon them.

These are worn for protection from all calamities, whilst sentences

such as “There is no God but God and Mohammed is his prophet” are also

considered powerful charms. The names of the grandsons of Mohammed,

Hassan and Hussein, engraved on beautifully polished Agate stones, are

suspended from the neck or tied to the arms of children to protect them

from falling. Blue beads are often sewn on the caps of poor children,

and are frequently threaded on the hairs of the tails and manes of

horses, being considered very efficacious in averting ill-wishing. A

hand with one finger extended, not of coral as in the Levant, but of

metal or of blue glass, is worn for the same reason; and at the present

day small hands of blue glass made in this form are tied round the

necks of children or attached to the part of the body to be protected

from the Evil Eye. A hand with thumb and fingers outstretched, known

as the Hand of the Lady Fatima (see Illustration No. 111, Plate VIII),

is still regarded as a powerful charm amongst all Moslems, and is made

in all metals, often very crude in execution, its material and detail

varying according to the wealth and position of its wearer. This Hand

is regarded as a sacred symbol representing Generosity, Hospitality,

Power, and Divine Providence; as a whole it represents the Holy Family,

the prophet Mohammed being typified by the thumb, the Lady Fatima by

the first finger, Ali, her husband, by the second, and the third and

fourth fingers respectively being allotted to Hassan and Hussein, the

sons of Fatima and Ali. It also serves to keep the faithful in constant

remembrance of the Five Principal Commandments, i.e. to keep the Fast

of Ramadan, to accomplish the Pilgrimage to Mecca, to Give Alms, to

Perform the necessary Ablutions, and to Oppose all Infidels.

Paintings of hands are to be met with throughout Italy, Syria, and

Turkey, Asia, and India as symbols of good luck and for protection from

witchcraft, showing how widespread and universal is the idea of the

efficacy of the human emblem to push away and combat trouble and evil.

A form of Mussulman Talisman is

THE ZUFUR TUKIAH, or sacred crutch, single and double, which is formed

of a combination of letters making the name of a saint or holy man,

of which three examples are shown on Plate VIII. Illustration No. 114

is formed in the shape of the letters that compose the name NASIREE,

or the Preserver, one of the names of God; No. 115 is a double crutch

forming the letters that compose the name GADIRI, or the Powerful, also

one of the names of God; and No. 116 is formed in the shape of the

letters which comprise the name of MOHAMMED. The Talismans of the Shah

of Persia are very numerous, and it is said exceed two hundred, the

principal and most important being the following:

One called MERZOUM, in the shape of a gold star, is said to have the

power of making traitors confess; some years ago one of the Shah’s

brothers was suspected of treachery and this Talisman shown him, when

terrified and overcome by remorse, he is said to have confessed his

crime.

Another powerful Talisman is a diamond set in a scimitar which renders

him invincible. He also possesses a cube of Amber, said to have fallen

from Heaven in the time of Mohammed; the virtue of this is to render

its wearer invulnerable if worn round the neck.

Another marvellous charm is a golden box set with emeralds and blessed

by the prophet. This is said to render members of the Royal Family

invisible as long as they remain unmarried; the Shah, however, had

numerous wives before he became its possessor, so that its powers

remain untested.

Persians of high rank make use of Rubies, Emeralds, and other Gems,

tied round the arm with pieces of red and green silk, as charms against

the fascinations of the Devil whom they call “Deebs.”

No journey is ever undertaken without first consulting a Book of Omens,

each chapter of which begins with a particular letter of the alphabet,

some fortunate and some inauspicious; should they unluckily pitch on

one of the latter the journey is immediately postponed.

Persians have also a curious custom of charming Scorpions, of which,

says Pinkerton, there are great numbers in that country, and they

believe that by making use of a prayer, a person gifted with power of

“binding” (as it is called) can deprive the Scorpion of its sting. To

do this the charmer turns his face towards the sign Scorpio in the

heavens, repeating a special prayer, and at the conclusion of each

sentence claps his hands. After the ceremony his hearers do not scruple

to handle scorpions, so great is their faith in the efficacy of the

charm.

EARLY CHRISTIAN AND MEDIÆVAL TALISMANS. At the time of the founding of

the Christian religion and onwards through the Middle Ages the symbols

used during the services, certain texts, mottoes, and prayers were

very popular as Talismans. They are often found in combination with

symbols used in preceding religions, and were worn for protection from

temptation and all kinds of perils, dangers, and diseases.

In the earliest days when open avowal of faith meant peril and

persecution, these Talismans were of great service in making

fellow-believers known to each other, and when Christianity was

established were extensively worn, with the approval of Clement of

Alexandria.

One of the oldest Talismans of this kind is

THE FISH, said to have been adopted because its Greek name ΙΧΘΥΣ formed

the initials of the sentence “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour.” The

form of the Fish is very similar to that used by the Egyptians and is

illustrated on Plate IX, No. 120.

Another explanation of its use is that in the Talmud the Messiah is

often designated by the name “Dag,” the Fish, and the sign of His

second coming, it is said, would be the conjunction of Saturn and

Jupiter in Pisces, which is the origin of the three fishes interlaced

into a triangle, a very popular ornament in mediæval architecture.

THE PALM BRANCH was another popular Talisman used to symbolise triumph

over sin and temptation; this undoubtedly was adapted from the pagan

mythology, in which the Palm represented the Sun, and was also a token

of victory and success. In Illustration No. 122, Plate IX, it is shown

surrounding the Greek name for Fish.

Stones were also frequently used, and although valuable gems were in

use, semi-precious stones such as the Carnelian, Sardonyx, and Jasper

were the most general, the device illustrated on Plate IX, No. 126,

being cut _in_ a Sapphire, the usual method of treatment in those days

being very seldom to cut _in relief_, as in more modern times.

A favourite gift was a ring with the name of the recipient cut _in_ the

stone with some appropriate motto, as in Illustration No. 124, Plate

IX: “Rogate, Vivas in Deo” (Rogatus, Live in God). Bronze and silver

rings were freely used for this purpose.

THE SHIP (Illustration No. 127, Plate IX) was a symbol universally

used to represent the Church, and signified the belief of its wearers

in their salvation and safety from temptations of the flesh. It

was frequently used in combination with other symbols, as shown in

Illustration No. 127, Plate IX, where the Sacred Monogram appears

above the deck of the Ship. It is worthy of note, as the sign which

encloses it is probably the Egyptian symbol of Eternity, SHEN. This

monogram is reputed to have been revealed in a vision to Constantine

the Great, Emperor of Rome, on the evening of the battle in which he

overcame MANENTIUS. In consequence he adopted it as the device for the

Imperial Standard. It was also commonly used as an abbreviation of the

name of Christ. Nos. 126 and 131 are other examples of this symbol,

and No. 126 is interesting as being in combination with the Tau Cross,

which has been treated fully in a preceding chapter. This Cross when

placed upon the top of a heart signified goodness, and was at the

same time regarded as a Talisman for protection from evil. It was the

monogram of Thoth, the Egyptian god of Wisdom, and when used with a

circle at its base signified the eternal preserver of the world.

[Illustration: EARLY CHRISTIAN AND MEDIÆVAL TALISMANS.

PLATE 9. _To face page 104._]

The Cross with four arms symbolises the four Cardinal Points, or

Universe, the dominion of the Spirit. Making the sign of the Cross

has always been considered efficacious in the treating of spells, the

exorcising of the Devil, and also as a protection from evil spirits.

For these reasons, in olden days kings and nobles used the sign of the

Cross whether they could write or not, regarding it as a symbol of

good luck; even at the present time people ignorant of writing when

called upon to sign a document mark it with a cross to show that it is

their mark and deed. The primitive inhabitants of Yucatan prayed to the

Cross as the god of Rain, and in Martin’s _Western Islands of Scotland_

we are told that “in the Island of Uist, one of the Outer Hebrides,

opposite St. Mary’s Church, there is a stone cross which was called by

the natives the ‘Water Cross,’ and when they needed rain they set the

cross up, and when sufficient had fallen, they laid it flat upon the

ground.”

Illustrated on Plate IX (No. 121) is a Cross with Greek inscription

for Life and Health, which is made in the form of a mould, or stamp; a

household Talisman, in all probability used for making an impression

upon bread, or cakes, its size being three and a half inches each way.

The combination of the Hand and the Cross as a Talisman is one of the

most remarkable of all the composition charms of ancient times against

the Evil Eye, and to break a Cross of this kind, or, in fact, any charm

of this nature, was thought to be most unfortunate.

On ornaments belonging to the later Bronze Age, the Wheel Cross was

symbolic of the Wheels of the Chariot which the Sun was supposed to

drive through the sky; whilst the Golden Wheel Cross, so often placed

behind the figure of the Saviour, is symbolic of His title as the “Sun

of Righteousness.” It was also used on the shields of ancient warriors

as a symbol of the Sun and its worshippers. This same Wheel Cross, in

the shape of a large Waggon Wheel, is said to be still used in Denmark

and Holland, and is placed on the roofs of houses and stables to

entice storks to build their nests thereon, the red legs of the bird

suggesting to the inhabitants that it is a fire bird and will prevent

the building from being destroyed by fire, whilst the wheel will bring

good luck. Even in England the Wheel Cross, in the shape of a brass

ornament, is still to be seen upon the foreheads of fine cart-horses;

it was intended in olden days to ward off witchcraft and the Evil Eye

and to attract Good Fortune.

The Irish Cross is also a type of the Wheel Cross.

CHAPTER XI

The Agnus Dei--The Coventry Ring--Ananizapta--Tau Cross--Cross of

St. Benedict--Byzantine Ring--Simsum Ring--Abracadabra--Pentalpha,

Pentacle, Pentagram, or Five-pointed Star--The Kabala--The Table of

Jupiter--The Ten Divine Names--The Planetary Angels--The Agla--Dr.

Dee.

The Talisman known as the AGNUS DEI came into use after the Christian

religion had become general; and it is in use at the present day.

It consists of a Lamb carrying a flag and cross, as in Illustration

No. 129, Plate IX, with the motto “Ecce Agnus Dei” (Behold the Lamb

of God). It was made not only in various metals, but in wax, and is

believed to possess the virtue of preserving its wearers from the

danger of accidents, tempests, and pestilence.

THE COVENTRY RING is another good example of a religious Talisman of

the fifteenth century, and is illustrated by No. 128, Plate IX. The

outside is engraved with a scene representing Our Lord rising from the

tomb, with the five wounds arranged on either side, and the following

inscriptions:

“The Well of Everlastingh Life,”

“The Well of Pitty,”

“The Well of Merci,”

“The Well of Comfort,”

“The Well of Gracy.”

The Five Wounds symbolise the five senses through which we have the

power of wounding Our Lord by yielding to the temptation of the Flesh

and the Devil, and in themselves alone were regarded as an efficacious

Talisman against all evil. Inside the ring is engraved the names of the

Three Kings of Cologne (so named because their relics are preserved at

Cologne), or the Magi--the Three Wise Kings--Caspar, signifying the

White One; Melchior, King of Light; Baltasar the Lord of Treasures;

also in Latin the verse Luke iv. 30, I.H.S.: “Autem transiens per

medium illorum ibat” (Jesus passing through their midst went His way.)

This text was worn as a charm against danger by sea and land, and

especially against dangers from robbers; and to commemorate his escape

in the great naval battle off Sluys in the year 1340 Edward III had

this same verse struck upon his gold nobles.

The sigil ANANIZAPTA is also engraved inside the ring and has been

translated as meaning, “Have mercy on us, O Judge”; it was considered

a powerful protection against disease, epilepsy, and intoxication,

particularly when associated with the Tau Cross, as in Illustration No.

133, Plate X.

THE CROSS OF ST. BENEDICT was another popular charm, worn as a

protection against disease and dangers. Each letter stands for a word,

the four letters in the angles of the Cross, making the first line,

then the upright of the Cross, next the horizontal bar, finally the

lettering round the outside, as in Illustration No. 130, Plate IX.

The following is the Latin text and its translation:

1. Crux Sancti Patris Benedicte.

2. Crux Sancta sit mihi lux.

3. Ne daemon sit mihi dux.

4. Vade retro Satana,

Ne suade mihi vana;

Sunt mala quae libas,

Ipse venena bibas.

1. Cross of the Holy Father Benedict.

2. Holy Cross be my light.

3. Let no evil spirit be my guide.

4. Get thee behind me Satan,

Suggest no vain delusions;

What thou offerest is evil,

Thou thyself drinkest poison.

The Ring illustrated on Plate X, No. 132, is Byzantine, and was worn as

an Amulet for protection against disease and accident, the grotesque

head being against the Evil Eye; the seven radiating spirits symbolise

the seven gifts of the Spirit--Power, Wisdom, Honour, Glory, Blessing,

Strength, and Riches. Round the hoop is engraved the inscription, “Lord

preserve the wearer.”

A popular astrological Talisman for good fortune was the formula in

which the word SIMSUM was emphasised as containing the initial letters

of each Planet and the Sun in their relative order, _S_aturni, _J_ovis,

_M_artius, _S_olis, _V_eneris, _M_ercurii--the whole inscription

reading:

“Post Simsvm sequitur septuna Luna subest,”

which has been translated as:

“After possibility follows certainty, the seventh moon is at hand.”

The seventh New Moon of our Calendar would fall in Cancer, the Moon’s

own Zodiacal house in which she is exalted, or at her strongest, and

when there marks a very auspicious time for pushing public affairs or

undertaking new business enterprises (see Illustration No. 137, Plate

X).

The most famous Talisman, however, of the Middle Ages is the

ABRACADABRA, which, says the Rev. C. W. King, was first mentioned by

Serenus Sammonicus, the most learned Roman of his time, and physician

to Caracalla. Serenus Alexander, a great admirer of Serenus Sammonicus,

ordered the word to be written in the form of an inverted cone, and

declares it to be of virtue against all diseases.

“Thou shalt on paper write the spell divine

ABRACADABRA called in many a line,

Each under each in even order place,

But the last letter in each line efface,

As by degrees the elements grow few,

Still take away but fix the residue,

Till at the last one letter stands alone,

And the whole dwindles to a tapering cone.

Tie this about the neck with flaxen string,

Mighty the good ’twill to the patient bring,

Its wondrous potency shall guard his head

And drive disease and death far from his bed.”

The Illustration No. 136, Plate X, is from an example in the British

Museum, and the probable origin of this Talisman is that it is a

composition of the Hebrew words _Ha_--_Brachab_--_Dabarah_--“Speak or

pronounce the Blessing”; “Blessing” standing for “The Blessed One,”

being equivalent to invoking the Holy Name of Jehovah.

Defoe mentions this Talisman as being worn written as described, for

a safeguard against infection during the time of the Great Plague,

the prescription being that the word _Abracadabra_ be written on

parchment and worn for nine days (nine being the number of the Planet

Mars ruling fevers and infectious illnesses generally). It was then

to be thrown backwards before sunrise into a stream running eastward

(the East Wind being also under the influence of the Planet Mars).

Another signification given to the word ABRACADABRA is said to be of

Jewish origin, and means “God sends forth His lightning to scatter

His enemies,” which sentence occurs in a Psalm of David. It was also

believed to have the power of curing the toothache, as an extract from

an old MS. in the British Museum contains the following interesting

information:

“Mr. Banester sayeth that he healed two hundred in one yer of an

ague, by hanging Abracadabra about their necks, it would stanch blood

or heal the toothache although the parties were ten miles off.”

Other writers affirm that in order to cure mild attacks of ague it is

only necessary to repeat the word ABRACADABRA, dropping each time one

letter, but in severe cases the word was to be written as prescribed

and eaten by the patient!

The PENTALPHA, PENTACLE, PENTAGRAM, or Five-pointed Star, has always

had very mysterious powers ascribed to it, and Rennet, Bishop of

Peterborough, says: “When it is delineated on the body of a man it

points out the five places wherein the Saviour was wounded, and,

therefore, the devils are afraid of it.” No evil spirit could pass

where it was displayed, and for this reason it was always used in magic

ceremonies to “bind with,” as the spirits of darkness can have no power

over the magician who stands within this Pentacle or is provided with

this symbol. Audrey says: “It was used by the Christian Greeks (as

the sign of the Cross was later), at the heading of MS. and at the

beginning of books for ‘good luck’s sake.’”

In the Middle Ages it was looked upon as a symbol of immense power,

and was worn for health and safety, both in the spiritual as well as

in the physical sense; and the magical Pentacle in the western window

of the southern aisle of Westminster Abbey is one of the emblems still

existing to prove that the worshippers of old were deeply read in

Occult lore. Eliphas Levi describes it “as the seal of the Microcosm

through which Man can command the powers and beings of the Elements and

restrain Elementals from evil.” In Illustration No. 134, Plate X, it is

shown with the symbols of the Planets and the Sacred Names of God which

give it added power and efficacy. Scott, in _Marmion_, describing a

wizard, also alludes to this Talisman as follows:

“His shoon were marked with cross and spell,

Upon his breast a pentacle”;

and in Germany it is still considered a Talisman against the powers of

witchcraft.

THE KABALA, the source and inspiration of numerous Talismans, came into

being very soon after the establishment of the Christian Religion,

when the Jewish Rabbis developed a complete science of Divine things,

received, as the name implies, by direct revelation, according to which

all created things from the highest to the lowest are ruled, through

the ten principal names of God, acting first through the nine orders of

the Angelic Hosts and blessed souls, and through them to the Celestial

Spheres, Planets, and Mankind. Lower degrees of Angels and celestial

influences, known as Intelligences, ruling each element, nation,

language, animal and vegetable life, atmospheric conditions, emotions

and aspirations. The early Christians had great faith and belief in the

power of numbers, and their magical formulas were largely composed of

letters having numerical values, usually expressed in Hebrew. Sometimes

Greek letters were used, which, combined with astrological formulas,

attracted the good influences of the Angels and Intelligences ruling

through the Planets, the houses of the Zodiac, their triplicities and

degrees.

One form described as the

TABLE OF JUPITER, which is illustrated on

Plate X, Illustration No. 139, contains sixteen numbers which total

up to thirty-four whichever way they are added. This, with the Divine

names around it, is to be made in a plate of silver when Jupiter is

strong, and was worn for riches, favour, peace, and concord, to appease

enemies, and to confer honours and dignities.

The Good Spirits were always working to preserve mankind from the

machinations of Evil Spirits; the Jupiterian Spirits working especially

to preserve Justice and Mercy on Earth. This Talisman may be seen

reproduced in Albrecht Dürer’s picture of “Melancholy.” The complete

set of the Planetary Tables with their Angels and Intelligences,

together with full instructions for their making, may be found in the

_Magus_ by Francis Barrett.

THE TEN NAMES of God were used to attract the virtues and powers they

represent, or to accomplish some desire signified.

The first is the name EHEIA, the essence of Divinity, influencing the

angelic order of Seraphim through whom the gift of being is bestowed

on all things.

The second is JOD, signifying wisdom, ruling through the order of

Cherubim.

The third is ELOHIM, signifying providence and understanding, ruling

through the order of Thrones.

The fourth is EL, signifying clemency and goodness, grace, piety, and

magnificence, ruling through the order of Dominions.

The fifth name is ELOHIM GIBOR, signifying power and judgment, ruling

through the Seraphim.

The sixth name is ELOHA, meaning Beauty and Glory, and has power

through the order of Virtues.

The seventh name is ADONAI SABAOTH, the God of Hosts, triumph

and victory, justice and eternity, ruling through the order of

Principalities.

The eighth is ELOHIM SABAOTH, signifying Piety and Agreement, ruling

through the Archangels.

The ninth is called SADAI, that is, Omnipotent, and has influence

through the Cherubim, ruling the increase and decrease of all things.

The tenth name is ADONAI MELECH, signifying Kingdom and Empire, and has

rule through the Blessed Souls giving knowledge and understanding.

Very powerful in Talismans were the names of the Angels ruling the

Planets, as follows:

Saturn ruled by Zaphiel.

Jupiter „ „ Zadkiel.

Mars „ „ Camael.

Sun „ „ Raphael.

Venus „ „ Haniel.

Mercury „ „ Michael.

Moon „ „ Gabriel.

Names of power were compounded from letters taken from verses of

Scripture: for example, the AGLA is formed from the initial letters of

the words ATE GEBIR LEILAM ADONAI--“Thou art mighty for ever, O Lord”;

a popular charm during the fourteenth century against Fever, frequently

found on rings and brooches of this period. It was used by Dr. Dee, as

illustrated on Plate X, Illustration No. 138.

CHAPTER XII

Tetragrammaton--Phylactery--Talismans against all mischiefs,

the _Magus_--Venus Talisman--Totaphoth--Abraxas--Eye

of a Cock--Bells--Gargoyles--Cramp Rings--Blessing of

Rings--Musseltaub--Posie Rings--Gemmel Rings--Zodiacal

Rings--The Signs of the Zodiac in Rhyme--General Talismans--The

Lee Penny--Crystal--The Moon Talismans--Peacock--Juno--Fire

Talismans--Gold Nugget--Coins--Card Talismans--Badger’s

Tooth--Four-leaved Clover.

TETRAGRAMMATON, or mystic name, had its derivation in a Hebrew word,

“Yod-he-vau-he,” which signified the unutterable name of Jehovah, its

meaning being “He that is and shall be.” The sigil is composed of

letters formed from the following four texts: Exodus xiii. 2nd and 10th

verses, also verses 11 and 16; and Deuteronomy vi. 4th and 9th verses.

It was very popular as a Talisman in the Middle Ages for protection

from enemies, also to bring peace, harmony, and long life, and was

usually made in the form of a pentacle with the five syllables engraved

in each corner (see Illustration No. 142, Plate X) with the Hebrew

letter Yod, or Shin, in the centre.

It was also worn by the Jews in the form of a PHYLACTERY, which was a

strip of cowhide parchment inscribed with verses from the Talmud, or

with the Tetragrammaton and the sigil formed from the four passages of

Scripture already referred to. It was enclosed in a black calfskin case

which had thongs attached to it for binding on the forehead, or round

the left arm. Worn when attending worship in their synagogues, it was

considered to have great potency as a Talisman.

The illustration of the Tetragrammaton is taken from Barrett’s

_Magus_, as are also Nos. 140 and 141, Plate X, which are described

as containing “the beginnings and ends of the first five verses of

Genesis, and representation of the creation of the world; and by this

ligature they say that a man shall be free from all mischiefs if that

he firmly believes in God, the Creator of all things.”

No. 135, Plate X, is a Talisman of Venus which is in the British

Museum, and is also described in the _Magus_ as worn for success and

good fortune in love, joyfulness, and to make travellers fortunate. The

written inscription is an addition probably made personally, and reads:

“Accipe my petitione, O domine, keep me as apple of an eye, hide me

under the shadow of thy wings from all evel, up Lord and help us for

thou art my strong rock and my castle. Amen.”

THE TOTAPHOTH was another species of Talisman worn by the Hebrews

as a frontlet, consisting of a plate slightly curved, inscribed with

passages from the Talmud, which covered the forehead from ear to ear

and was bound with a fillet of gold or silver by those who could afford

it, and with strips of coloured cloth by the poor. Scapulars, or pieces

of brown cloth, in which were stitched certain verses from the Gospel

of St. John written on paper, or parchment, guarded against perils by

flood or field, and a Dove with a branch of Olive in its mouth engraved

in pyrites, ensured for the pilgrim the utmost hospitality wheresoever

he journeyed.

The Gnostic god ABRAXAS is frequently depicted with the head of a Cock,

this bird being considered a powerful Talisman for vigilance, and also

a symbol of the Sun, as well as of Mercury. It is sometimes represented

with an ear of corn in its beak, denoting that “vigilance produces

plenty.”

[Illustration: MEDIÆVAL TALISMANS.

PLATE 10. _To face page 120._]

THE EYE OF A COCK was considered a potent Talisman against witchcraft

and the wiles of the Devil, even the lion being afraid of its hypnotic

glance; and as Christ was thought by the early Christians to have

arisen from the tomb at cockcrow, the Cock was from an early period

used as a symbol of the Resurrection, and its image was engraved on

many of the ancient tombs. Placed as it still is, on the highest

point of the church tower or spire, it is singularly appropriate as a

church Talisman.

BELLS were another form of Talisman used in olden days, the traditional

idea being that any great noise would terrify the Devil and all evil

spirits, so that bells were attached to the heads of horses and to the

playthings of children to protect them from harm; and were also hung in

church towers to scare the ears of demons, whilst the Gargoyles struck

terror to the eyes of the evil ones.

CRAMP RINGS were another form of Talisman worn for the prevention or

cure of cramp. These rings were at one time hallowed by the Kings and

Queens of England, but the custom was discontinued in the reign of

Edward VI. An old MS., emblazoned with the arms of Philip and Mary,

gives the prayers used in the consecration of these rings. The rings

were placed in a dish and the ceremony commenced with the reading of a

Psalm and a prayer for the communication of the divine gift of healing,

after which the sovereign hallowed the rings by saying:

“O God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, hear mercifully our prayers,

Spare those who feare thee, and be propitious to thy suppliants, and

graciously be pleased to send down from heaven, thy holy angel, that

he may sanctify and bless these rings to the end that they may prove

a healthy remedy to such as implore thy name with humilitie. Amen.”

After the blessing of the rings, the King rubbed them between the palms

of his hands, saying:

“Sanctify, O Lord, these rings and graciously bedew them with the dew

of thine benediction and consecration, and hallow them by the rubbing

of our hands which thou hast been pleased according to our ministry,

to the end that what the nature of the metal is not able to perform

may be wrought by the greatness of thy grace.”

Then holy water was sprinkled on the rings:

“In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”

These rings were considered most efficacious if formed out of the

screws and nails taken from old coffins, and were frequently considered

most beneficial in the cure of epileptic fits if hallowed on Good

Friday. This custom, according to Hospinian, took its rise from a

famous ring long preserved in Westminster Abbey; this ring had been

brought from Jerusalem by Edward the Confessor, and was believed to be

efficacious against cramp and epilepsy when touched by those afflicted.

Another Talisman ring of the sixteenth century was of Jewish origin,

engraved with a Hebrew word “Musseltaub,” meaning “We wish you good

luck,” inscribed inside.

Within the hoop of the betrothal or wedding ring it was customary to

inscribe sentences, or poesies (posies), and this custom appears to

have lasted into the latter part of the eighteenth century, when it

fell into disuse. It has been revived of late years, devices, mottoes,

and hieroglyphics being once more inscribed in engagement rings, to

express the sentiment of the giver and to act as a mutual token of love

and friendship. Some of these ancient posies may be found interesting,

such as:

“The eye did find, the heart did chuse, the hand doth bind, till

death doth loose.”

“Let Love Encrease.”

“God did decree the Unitie.”

“Where Hearts agree there love will be.”

“Hearts united live contented.”

“Keep fayth till deth.”

“I seek to be, not thine, but thee.”

“Let lyking laste.”

“Hearts truly tied none can divide.”

“Joye sans cesse.”

“Let us be one till we are none.”

“Fear the Lord and rest content, so shall we live and not repent.”

“This and the giver are thine for ever.”

A very old ring (says the author of _Ring Lore_) is in the collection

of J. Evans, Esq.; it is of gold set with a small sapphire, inscribed:

JE, SVI, ICI, EN, LI’V, D’AMI.

(I am here in place of a friend.)

Other devices express the sentiment of the giver in the setting of the

gems of the ring, as, for instance, the word “Regard” is represented by

a

RUBY

EMERALD

GARNET

AMETHYST

RUBY

DIAMOND

placed in sequence round the ring.

THE GEMMEL, or GEMMOW, rings were frequently double or even triply

made, the word “Gemmel” denoting jointed hinges, or jimmers. At the

time of the betrothal the parties concerned broke away the upper and

lower rings over an open Bible, each wearing the respective ring

severed (the third ring being held by the witness of their betrothal)

until the marriage took place, when the rings were reunited and became

the Wedding Ring. It was considered most unlucky for a ring to hurt its

wearer, or fall to the ground during the betrothal or marriage, and it

is said to be a curious fact that when this has happened the incident

has been followed by disappointment or misfortune to one or both of the

persons concerned.

The Ancients had great faith in ZODIACAL RINGS, in the construction

of which the aspects and positions of the planets were of the utmost

importance. They were worn for the gift of eloquence and were in great

favour with lawyers, poets, and orators, being worn on the fourth

finger (Mercury ruling speech and the tongue).

These Zodiacal rings, engraved with the representation of the twelve

signs of the Zodiac in their order, are aptly described in the

following rhyme, for which we are indebted to the Rev. C. W. King’s

book, _The Natural History of Precious Stones and Gems_, although it is

not from that author’s pen, but merely quoted by him:

“THE SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC IN RHYME

“Hear how each sign the body’s portion sways,

How every part its proper lord obeys

And what the members of the human frame

Wherein to rule, their several forces claim.

First to the Ram, the Head hath been assigned;

Lord of the sinews, Neck, the Bull we find;

The arms and shoulders joined in union fair

Possess the Twins, each one an equal share.

The Crab, as sovereign o’er the Breast presides;

The Lion, the shoulder blades and sides.

Down to the flank, ‘the Virgin’s’ lot descends,

And with the buttock Libra’s influence ends;

The fiery Scorpion in the groin delights,

The Centaur in the thighs exerts his rights,

While either knee doth Capricornus rule,

The legs the province of Aquarius cool;

Last, the twain Fishes as their region meet,

Hold jurisdiction on the pairs of feet.”

GENERAL TALISMANS

An historic Talisman of Oriental origin which was famous during the

fourteenth century, is the LEE PENNY, which is described as a small red

stone of triangular or heart shape, and of unknown origin, set in a

groat of Edward IV.

According to tradition, it was brought from the Holy Land by Sir Simon

Locard of Lee, who accompanied Sir James Douglas to Palestine bearing

the heart of Robert Bruce enclosed in a golden casket, and, for his

services in connection with this, was given the name of Lockhart,

and for armorial bearings, a lock and a heart. Fighting in the Holy

Land, Sir Simon captured a Saracen Emir whom he held to ransom. The

Emir’s lady willingly paid the ransom; but while handing out a goodly

supply of golden bezants, she dropped a small jewel. So marked was her

anxiety to recover it, that the canny Sir Simon, with a true Caledonian

instinct for a bargain, conjectured the apparently valueless stone must

be a potent Talisman. Consequently he refused to set his prisoner at

liberty unless the stone was included in the ransom.

Amongst its many merits it cures hydrophobia, takes away disease from

horned cattle, and counteracts the poison of infectious complaints if

it is soaked in water and the water is used as a cordial.

For its use during an epidemic of the plague Newcastle is reputed to

have granted a bond of £6000 for its safe return.

Another Scottish Talisman is a CRYSTAL set in silver, which is worn

hung round the back for diseases of the kidneys; it is also directed to

be steeped in water seven times, the water to be drunk by the patient.

THE MOON is another symbol of importance in connection with the

talismanic properties of water, upon which it has a vitalising

influence. In Oudh a silver basin is filled with water by the people,

who hold it so that the orb of the full moon is reflected therein,

their doctors recommending this as a remedy for nervous hysteria and

palpitation, patients being directed to look steadfastly for a while at

the reflection, then to shut their eyes and drink the water at a gulp.

Many and various are the ways in which lunar sympathy and influence

were turned to account in olden days, warts being considered

particularly susceptible to its influence, and a charm repeated over

them at the junction of four cross roads as the moon waned in light was

believed to be most efficacious in removing the blemishes. The formula

prescribed:

“As the moon decreases

So may these warts disappear,”

is still in vogue in certain remote country villages in England.

Christians and Moslems alike turn silver money in their pockets that

their goods and money may increase when the moon is new and gaining

in light, and their ills decrease as it wanes. The Moon’s image in

crescent shape was also considered a fortunate Talisman for expectant

mothers.

THE PEACOCK was regarded in very ancient times a symbol of triumph

over the grave; its flesh was believed to be incorruptible, which

probably accounts for its presence in church decoration; and because it

renews its plumage yearly it was taken as the symbol of immortality.

It was the bird of Juno, the goddess and protectress of Malta; and

on one of the old gateways her statue is still in existence bearing

her symbolic bird. The supposition that the feathers of a Peacock are

unlucky is said to have had its origin in the anger of the goddess

Juno, having been aroused by the plucking of the feathers of her

favourite bird; in her wrath she decreed that no suitors should come

for the daughters of any house wherein should be found Peacocks’

feathers, that the children should never be well, nor the occupants

of a house healthy where these feathers were used as ornaments. It is

believed the Egyptians also considered the feathers a perpetual emblem

of the Evil Eye.

In many parts of the country old houses are still to be seen with one,

or even two pieces of iron in the shape of the letter S attached to

the outer walls. These are intended to protect the building from being

destroyed by fire, and are not, as is generally supposed, employed as

a support; sometimes the S will have a bar across its centre; another

form is shaped like two crescents, placed back to back, also with a bar

across the centre; but in each case they are only bolted at one point,

and their meaning is the same--a charm against destruction by fire, and

in all probability it was intended as a form of the Swastika Cross.

GOLD NUGGETS are considered lucky charms for speculators in mines, and

miners; and Leap Year Pennies should always be kept in the kitchen to

bring unexpected windfalls to the house.

To card players the Deuce of Clubs is said to be the Talisman of the

pack, and is generally the sign of four or five trumps in the dealer’s

hand; whilst the Four of Clubs is the most unlucky card, the holder of

it seldom if ever winning the game; in old writings this card is known

as “the devil’s bedstead.”

A BADGER’S TOOTH sewn inside the right-hand pocket of the waistcoat is

also a well-known Talisman for luck at cards.

THE FOUR-LEAVED CLOVER is another well-known charm for good luck,

generally, for--

“One leaf is for fame,

And one leaf is for wealth

And one for a faithful lover,

And one to bring you glorious health

Are all in the four-leaved clover.”

PART II

THE GEMS OF THE ZODIAC

CHAPTER I

ARIES--THE RAM

The Zodiac--Zodiacal and Calendar Months--The New Year--The

Constellation--Hamal--The Passover--Characteristics of Aries

People--Gems of Aries--The Bloodstone and Heliotrope--Mars the

Ruling Planet--Marbodeus Gallus--The Diamond--The Qualities of the

Diamond--Tavernier--The Regent--The Koh-i-Noor--The Hope Diamond.

The Sun enters the Zodiacal House of Aries on March 21st of each year,

and remains in occupation until April 20th, his entrance to this House

marking the commencement of the Zodiacal year, with days and nights of

equal length, and also signifying the advent of Spring.

The Zodiac is an imaginary belt in the heavens which extends for

several degrees on either side of the apparent path of the Sun, called

the Ecliptic, which is divided into twelve sections of thirty degrees

each, known as the Houses of the Zodiac; and it is in this belt that

the planets move and form aspects.

The Sun takes a year to travel through the twelve houses, remaining a

month in each; the months are not, however, the familiar ones of the

Calendar, but are for periods from the 21st of one Calendar month to

the 20th of the next approximately. The time of the Sun’s entry into

ARIES marks the Zodiacal beginning of the year, as from this time the

days are longer than the nights, and are still increasing in length;

the fact remains, however, that the First of January was fixed by Act

of Parliament as the beginning of the New Year, although our law-makers

in 1752, when re-forming the Calendar, would have been wiser and more

accurate had they fixed the New Year at the Vernal Equinox instead of

adopting the System of the Romans which was originally formed out of

compliment to Julius Cæsar.

The Constellation of Aries is situated in the Northern Celestial

Hemisphere near the Pleiades, between the Constellations of Pisces and

Taurus. In its group it has three very bright stars visible to the

naked eye, the brightest of which is known as HAMAL, or the Sheep, and

was much more poetically described in the Akkadian tongue as “Dilkur,”

the dawn proclaimer. The Chinese have a tradition giving the greatest

prominence to Aries from the fact that it was believed to have occupied

the centre of the heavens at the Creation of the World, a belief that

was also held by the Babylonians.

The Symbol of this House is the Ram (see Frontispiece, No. 1), which

in the early religions was considered symbolic of sacrifice, and in

connection with this may be noted the fact that the JEWISH PASSOVER

was commenced in this sign when Moses was commanded to sacrifice a

young Ram, a sacrifice which was the forecast of our Easter Services.

Chemical evidence reveals the fact that the human body is composed of

separate elements, common to all physical formations, and that the

differences between individuals is caused by different and varying

combinations of these elements, portions of which are vivified to

a greater or lesser degree by the Planets of our Solar System. The

influence of this force should be taken into account when the relative

effect of one person’s mind qualities, or magnetic emanations, on any

other person is under consideration. Aries rules the Head and Face, and

brain-workers are consequently typical of this sign, Reason being their

ruler, and this the most positive of the twelve houses. Those born

under the influence of Aries _must_ be leaders, the brain being the

most active part of their bodies. Having unbounded confidence in their

own abilities when working out their plans, difficulties are scorned,

or even welcomed, for they have the true Martian spirit--the love of

conquest.

Pioneers in thought and action, ever exploring and originating,

they bring unflagging energy and fearlessness in emergency to their

pursuits, seeming specially gifted by Nature to tread the thorny

paths of life, making the ways smoother for their weaker brethren.

Their methods must, however, be their own. If required to work on

conventional lines they are never happy, and seldom successful;

understanding what they require, they must be left to accomplish

it according to their own ideas. Optimistic in regard to their

enterprises, difficulties are underrated; but where any matter requires

to be dealt with quickly and promptly, they are at their best.

Aries people are very enthusiastic, brave, venturesome, generous, and

impulsive, self-willed and opinionated, fond of change, romance, and

adventure, ever ready to champion the cause of the weak and suffering,

this tendency frequently leading them to acts of indiscriminate charity

often wasted on undeserving subjects. They have great ideality, are

highly strung, often hypersensitive, with remarkably keen perceptions

in which they are rarely deceived. They are naturally ambitious, and

often lacking in caution; but, as they are ruled by their reasoning

powers, it is in this direction they are open to control and should

find their Zodiacal and Planetary Stones of great benefit to them. In

matters of business, friendship, and the affections this type will

harmonise best with those between April 21st and May 21st, July 22nd

and August 21st, also November 22nd and December 20th.

The gems of this House are the Bloodstone and Diamond, which, as a

rule, will not be good for people born between June 21st and July 21st,

unless Mars was very favourable at their birth.

THE BLOODSTONE is a variety of green Jasper which derives its

distinctive name from a number of blood-red specks formed by iron

oxide with which it is impregnated. It is an opaque stone, but as its

surface is capable of taking a very high polish, and in consistency

being very suitable to the graver, it has from time immemorial been a

great favourite for the cutting of seals and cameos. It exists in large

quantities and is, in consequence, inexpensive, and is found in India,

Bokhara, Siberia, Tartary, and in the Hebrides.

There is much disagreement between ancient writers with regard to the

Heliotrope and Bloodstone, some asserting there is _no_ difference,

the name Heliotrope having been conferred upon this variety from the

idea that when plunged in water it presents a red reflection of the

image of the Sun; others maintain that the Heliotrope is a translucent

green Chalcedony with crimson spots, and the Bloodstone a green Jasper

flecked with red.

An old tradition records that the Bloodstone had its origin at the

Crucifixion, being formed by drops of blood which, following the thrust

of the Roman soldier’s spear, fell upon some green jasper on which

the cross was erected, the stains penetrating the stones and thus

originating this particular variety. From this time onwards the stone

seems to have been endowed with magical and divine powers in arresting

hemorrhage from wounds, and was worn by Roman soldiers for this reason;

among the natives of India it is customary to place the Bloodstone

itself upon wounds and injuries after dipping it in cold water. Its

curative properties in this respect have been explained in modern

times by the fact that the iron oxide in this stone is an active and

effective astringent even now used in surgery.

Rings of dark green Jasper flecked with red were favourite ornaments

amongst the Egyptians, who frequently wore them upon the thumb,

probably because the thumb is under Martian influence, Mars being the

ruling planet of the House of Aries.

One of these talismanic stones was worn by Nechepsos, an Egyptian

king, to strengthen the digestive organs, and was engraved in the form

of a dragon surrounded by rays. The Gnostics wore the Bloodstone as an

Amulet to prolong life, and to make its wearer courageous and wealthy,

as well as to strengthen the stomach and dispel melancholy; and in the

Middle Ages it was considered good for those engaged in husbandry and

the breeding of cattle.

Amongst the ancient Greeks and Romans, the Bloodstone was worn to bring

renown and the favour of the great; to inspire constancy and endurance,

and as a charm against the bites of scorpions and all venomous

creatures. It was also a great favourite with their athletes, who wore

it as a Talisman for success in the games.

In an essay written by a certain Thomas Boyle on “The Origine and

Virtues of Gems,” dated 1675, we read that a gentleman of sanguine

habit having been long troubled with excessive bleeding from the nose,

was unable to find a cure until “an ancient gentleman presented him

with a Bloodstone the size of a pigeon’s egg, to be worn round the

neck, and upon the use of this stone he not only cured himself, but

stopped hemorrhage in a neighbour.”

Marbodeus Gallus, writing in verse on this stone, after mentioning its

virtue against the Ague and Dropsy, says:

“Againe it is believed to be a safeguard frank and free

To such as ware and beare the same; and if it hallowed bee,

It makes the parties gratious and mightier too that have it

And noysome fancies as they write who ment not to deprave it

It doth dispel out of the mind. The force thereof is stronger

In silver, if this stone be set, it doth endure the longer.”

The Chinese advise its being set in gold to obtain the best results;

and the Rev. C. W. King tells us that a Bloodstone, engraved with the

figure of a scorpion when the Sun was entering the sign of Scorpio,

was believed by the Ancients to be a sure preservation against the

formation of stone in the bladder.

THE DIAMOND.--Amongst the many precious crystallised stones the

diamond stands pre-eminent for beauty, brilliancy, and strength. It

is the hardest stone known, hence the name of _Adamas_, meaning “the

Indomitable,” given it by its ancient discoverers, as with it every

known substance can be cut, although it cannot be cut, nor be scratched

by other stones; nor have acids nor solvents any effect upon it. It

also resists the action of the file.

When found, the diamond is covered with a thick crust, so hard that

there is no substance known that will remove it but that of itself,

and it is only by grinding and polishing with diamond dust and minute

diamonds that it is shaped and its wonderful brilliancy developed.

It was believed by the old writers to be the most powerful of all

precious stones in its influence and effect upon humanity both

spiritually and physically, and it is connected with marvellous records

of adventure and enterprise, as well as representing Purity, Innocence,

and protection from witchcraft and evil. To this day in India, amongst

natives sufficiently wealthy, tiny diamonds are sprinkled from a white

cloth over the heads of infants during the ceremony of naming the

child, to keep it pure and virtuous.

The Romans also regarded the diamond with much reverence, fastening it

upon the left arm so that the gem should touch the flesh, believing it

powerful in making its wearer brave and daring, giving him the victory

over his enemies; and when set in fine steel, was considered a charm

against insanity.

It was thought by the old astrologers to be particularly powerful

when worn by a subject born under a strong aspect of the planet

Mars, bestowing fortitude, strength of mind, and constancy in wedded

love; it repelled sorcery, poison, and nightmares, calmed anger, and

strengthened friendship. It is often referred to as the Stone of

Reconciliation; and was worn to promote love and harmony between man

and wife.

Sir John Mandeville writes the following:

“A diamond should be worn on the left side of the body for it is of

greater value there than on the right, for the strength of their

growing is towards the North, that is, the left side of the world,

and the left part of a man is when he turns his face to the East.”

Another old writer says:

“He who carries a diamond on the left side shall be hardy and manly;

it will guard him from accidents to the limbs; but nevertheless a

good diamond will lose its power and virtue if worn by one who is

incontinent, or drunken.”

In the Middle Ages the diamond was thought to protect its wearer from

the plague, and for this reason Queen Elizabeth was given a diamond

to guard her against infection, which she is said to have worn in her

bosom. It was a diamond worn in the girdle of Queen Donna Isabel II of

Spain that saved her on the day when the murderous attempt was made

upon her life. The point of the assassin’s dagger struck the stone and

glanced off, so the wound, which might otherwise have proved fatal,

resulted in a flesh wound only. Napoleon, too, attached great value

to the qualities of the diamond, and wore the famous REGENT diamond

in the hilt of his sword. The history of this remarkable stone is so

curious that a brief account of its discovery and subsequent owners

may be interesting. It was found at Parteal, south of Golconda, by a

slave who concealed it by making a gash in the calf of his leg and

hiding the stone in the folds of the bandage until he could escape to

Madras. Deceived by the promises made to him by a sailor in whom he had

confided, he consented, when a purchaser had been found for the stone,

to share profits, but was thrown overboard by the seaman, who disposed

of the diamond to a dealer named Jamchund for £1000, which he quickly

spent, afterwards hanging himself.

The stone was next purchased by Thomas Pitt, grandfather to the Earl of

Chatham, who purchased it after much bargaining for £20,400; but the

jewel brought him no happiness. So fearful was he of losing it, it is

said that he never slept twice at the same house whilst it was in his

possession; also serious reflections were made on his character as to

when and under what conditions he had obtained it. About the year 1717,

having offered the gem to several sovereigns, the Regent of France

was persuaded that his country should possess the most beautiful and

perfect diamond known, so the purchase was effected for £135,000.

In its natural state it weighed 410 carats, but after its cutting,

which took two years to complete, it was reduced to 137 carats, and was

the size of a large plum, perfectly white, without spot or flaw, and of

admirable water.

In the disorder attendant on the French Revolution the Regent diamond

was stolen from the public treasury. Twelve years afterwards it was

recovered, and subsequently was amongst the stones set in the Imperial

diadem of France.

Another celebrated diamond is the KOH-I-NOOR, or “Mountain of Light.”

Its history, according to Tavernier, the French traveller, can be

traced back to half a century B.C. This stone is reported by Baber, the

founder of the Mogul Empire, to have come into the treasury at Delhi

from the conquest of Malwa in 1304, since when it has passed through

the hands of many Indian rulers, who believed that the safety of their

dynasty depended on the possession of this fateful jewel.

After many vicissitudes it came into the possession of Runjeet Singh

King of Lahore, who wore it on his arm set between two smaller

diamonds. So convinced was he of its mystical powers, that he

bequeathed it to the Shrine of Juggernaut so that he might obtain

benefits for his soul after death. His successors, however, would

not allow the treasure to be disposed of in this manner, and it was

subsequently presented to the late Queen Victoria by Lord Dalhousie on

the annexation of the Punjaub, and was brought to London in 1850. The

Brahmins believe that the Crimean War and Sepoy Mutiny, which occurred

seven years afterwards, were due to its influence, and they say that

misfortune will follow the possessor until it is restored to the line

of Vikramaditya; but we are justified in the hope that as England is

under the influence of the Zodiacal House of Aries, the house of the

diamond, our Empire may still flourish and prosper.

Since the Koh-i-Noor came into our possession it has been recut,

an operation which has decreased its size but greatly improved its

brilliancy.

According to ancient lore, _very large_ diamonds should never be worn

as ornaments, as they bring disaster and anxiety; nor should they be

used as sleeve-links or buttons or they will bring misfortune and

sudden death. The losing of a diamond was considered (and still is),

apart from its material value, an omen of mishaps. To be efficacious as

a Talisman the diamond should be given freely, never sold, never lent,

never coveted, and never taken by fraud or force. It is a curious fact

that large diamonds have ever brought anxiety and often death to those

who have taken them by violence and sold them; and the strange fatality

which, for so many years, seems to have surrounded the famous HOPE

diamond is an example.

The HOPE DIAMOND was originally owned by Tavernier, the French

traveller, already mentioned. Born in Paris in 1605, he spent some

years in the East, traded extensively in precious stones, and

accumulated a vast fortune. In the year 1668 the gem, subsequently

known as “the Hope Diamond,” was sold by Tavernier in a parcel of fine

diamonds to Louis XIV, the Grand Monarque. Tavernier was soon after

robbed by his son of an immense sum of money; left destitute, at the

age of eighty-one he died in exile. The King’s haughty and arrogant

favourite, the Duchesse de Montespan, prevailed upon her Royal lover to

allow her to wear the dazzling gem at a Court Ball. From that hour she

lost her fascination for the fickle monarch, and the circumstances of

her fall confirmed the sinister superstition as to the fateful nature

of the blue diamond. Most beautiful and most unhappy of all its wearers

was Marie Antoinette. She not only wore it herself, but lent it to her

dearest friend the Princesse de Lamballe. When Madame de Lamballe’s

head was paraded on a pike by the revolutionary mob, and shown to the

King and Queen--then practically prisoners--and when subsequently

the ill-fated Louis XVI perished on the guillotine, and finally was

followed by his Queen, who was driven slowly to the scaffold so

that she should be made to “drink long of death,” the superstitious

remembered the reputed curse which the blue diamond was said to bring

upon its possessors. For thirty years after this the ill-fated diamond

was lost to the public gaze, until it was found in the possession

of a lapidary of Amsterdam, whose son stole it from his father and

disappeared, Fals, the gem-cutter, dying in absolute want. The son gave

the jewel to a Frenchman named Beaulieu, and after disposing of it

committed suicide. François Beaulieu brought the gem to London and sold

it to a dealer named Daniel Eliason, Beaulieu himself dying the next

day mysteriously.

Mr. Henry Thomas Hope was the next purchaser, paying Eliason the sum

of £18,000 for it. The stone remained in the Hope family until 1901,

when Lord Francis Hope (who had married and divorced an actress) sold

it to a diamond merchant, who resold it to an American, who, becoming

financially embarrassed, disposed of it to M. Jacques Colot. He in

his turn disposed of it to a Russian Prince who was stabbed; and

the French dealer from whom he purchased it ended his own life. Next

a Greek merchant met with a violent death after selling the diamond

to Abdul Hamid, the ex-Sultan of Turkey, who narrowly escaped with

his life after losing his throne. A firm of New York jewellers next

bought the sinister gem, and although a story was circulated that they

had disposed of it to a gentleman who had gone down in the ill-fated

_Titanic_, it is believed to be, at present, in the possession of Mr.

McLean, an American millionaire, to whom so far nothing untoward has

happened.

The preceding paragraph was written in 1914, and in May, 1919, further

proof was given of the strange fatality that accompanies this stone in

the announcement in all European papers of the death of Vincent Walsh

McLean, aged eleven years, who was accidentally killed by a motor-car

whilst playing in the road (having escaped from his nurse) near his

father’s estate.

Great importance was attached by the Hindus to the original shape of a

diamond, a triangular stone being thought to cause quarrels, a square

diamond terrors; but a six-cornered stone was thought to bring the best

of good fortune and to renew the strength in old age.