4135 – Small Crescent Shaped Object

Physical description:

A mysterious, very small, crescent-shaped object, with the points of the crescent almost touching, and with the surface mottled silvery white and greyish brown.

Museum classification:

Spells and Charms

Size:

15 x 15 x 4

Information:

Part of a collection of objects that belonged to an African Magical Practitioner.

Perhaps used as a charm or for divination.

This could be an Islamic symbol, representing the crescent moon, which is a symbol of God's guidance. In Islam, each month begins when the crescent of the new moon first appears. It is a symbol of light guiding you through the darkness, and so represents both light and hope. When the moon is first sighted, it is addressed in Arabic with the words, "O Moon, your God and my God is Allah."

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Ceramic (?)

Copyright ownership:

MWM

Part of a collection of objects that belonged to an African Magical Practitioner.

Perhaps used as a charm or for divination.

4122 – African Amulet

An amulet consisting of two charm bags, one approximately square and one rectangular, made of very dark leather with a faint embossed pattern of dots and diagonal lines, joined together by a thong of twisted leather. Evidently intended to be worn around a person's neck.

4123 – African Amulet

An amulet consisting of three charm bags and a tooth or claw encased in leather. The end of the tooth/claw is protruding from the leather wrapping. There are two smaller charm bags, which appear to be made of snake skin, and a larger one of dark coloured leather with a barely visible pattern embossed on it. They are all joined together by a twisted leather thong, so that they could be worn around a person's neck.

4128 – African Amulet

A charm or amulet consisting of a piece of iron, rather phallic in shape, or perhaps intended to resemble an animal's tusk, very rusty, with a large loop at one end, and a ring through the loop.