Mermaid imagery in Egyptian amulets: protection & meaning

Mermaid imagery in Egyptian amulets: protection & meaning

by | Magic & Amulets

Water spirits

Mermaid imagery in Egyptian amulets: protection & meaning

Updated September 14, 2025

The terrifying truth behind mermaid imagery! At the end of the 19th century, silver amulets with images of mermaids were widely available in Egypt’s jewellery souks. In Egyptian folklore, water spirits and protective amulets went hand in hand: images of mermaids were believed to guard against illness, child mortality, and misfortune. Their blend of folklore, protection, and jewellery makes mermaid imagery on amulets especially fascinating. Why were these so popular, and what world hides behind the use of these things?

Water spirits, the Nile, and mermaid beliefs in Egyptian folklore

Obviously, the Nile has always been a defining factor for Egypt. It’s a bit of a cliché, but Egypt would not exist without the river. Up until the construction of the Aswan Dam in 1902, Egypt was dependent upon the yearly flooding of the river to deposit fertile soil on the banks of the Nile, and much of daily life on the river banks was connected to it. This vital significance has resulted in many gods, water spirits, ceremonies and rituals being associated with the Nile from Pharaonic times up until the present.

There are tons of water spirits in both ancient and contemporary folklore tales, and in this article, I’d like to zoom in on the mermaids. Because these are not as friendly and pretty as their depictions would have you believe!

Disease, child mortality and mermaid amulets

As early as 1916, Meyerhof brings up that water spirits are much feared as a source of disease. [1] You only need to look at the reality of Nile floodings to see how much truth there is in this statement: although the flood deposited much-needed soil for agriculture, when the water slowly withdrew, pools of stagnant water with rotting plants were an ideal environment for rats, mosquitoes and other creatures that spread disease.

And that is where the mermaids come in. This same author lists the mermaid Safīna right along with the Qarina in the category of female ‘demons’. Specifically, he notes that she is, again much like the Qarina, responsible for harm brought upon children.

This fear of mermaids killing children was very persistent in Cairo. Drieskens even records recent Cairene belief in a mermaid living in the Nile, determined to kill people: the negative associations attached to the mermaid apparently still linger.[2]

That fear was based both in drowning, and in disease: water-borne diseases such as salmonella, cholera, typhoid fever and parasitic infections affected children under the age of 5 signifcantly. [3]

As with anything that threatens children, here again reverse magic is practiced, too: mermaids were also assumed to help in cases of infertility – if they felt like it. Water spirits are extremely capricious, and can’t really be trusted.

The same ambivalence and connection to fertility beliefs can be seen in Nigerian river spirit Mami Wata and Moroccan water spirit Lalla Aicha Bahriya.

Mermaid imagery on Egyptian silver amulets: form, function, symbol

So, what about those amulets? At the end of the 19th and early 20th century, mermaid imagery often occurred on amulets. These were made in silver, readily available and were meant to protect the wearer from Safīna. [4] The mermaid amulets exist in various forms: embossed, pear-shaped amulets with a mermaid, the image of a mermaid engraved in a pendant, or as appliques to be sewn on to clothing.

Most of the time, the mermaids are depicted as we know them: a female with the tail of a fish. They are adorned with jewellery, hold lotus flowers or papyrus stalks, and look much friendlier than they are. That is also a form of magic: by depicting these scary creatures as beautiful and friendly, perhaps they would turn into benign beings….there’s always hope!

But: not all of them look pleasant. A few early pendants show mermaids with bald heads, or only a few strands of hair. They look considerably more terrifying in comparison to the well-coiffed mermaids that form the majority of the amulets.

Visualizing water spirits: mermaid amulets as reflection of everyday Egyptian life

The appearance of mermaid imagery in Egyptian amulets is more than a decorative flourish. It reflects a wider system of folk belief, protection, and everyday symbolism. The whimsical and volatile nature of the river spirits mirrors the realities of living with a river that has the power to nurture, but also to kill.

And when you look at amulets as a reflection of that everyday reality, this is where the true stories begin to unfold themselves. These amulets gave visible form to concerns about disease, fertility, and the dangers of the Nile: a simple silver piece of jewellery with a mermaid engraving carried with it a whole world of meaning — at once amulet, ornament, and expression of belief. I think that is the greatest power they have!

Amulets and charms in jewellery: learn to decode jewellery yourself!

If you are intrigued by the history, meaning, and traditions behind amuletic jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, an in-depth exploration awaits! The online course on Amulets & Charms delves into the fascinating world of talismans, charms, and protective adornments, offering detailed insights into their cultural contexts and historical significance. Whether you are a collector, a jewellery enthusiast, or simply curious, this course provides the tools to deepen your understanding and appreciation.

Click here to see more, and enroll today to uncover the hidden stories behind these remarkable objects – you could be watching the first episode in 10 minutes from now!

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References

[1] Meyerhof 1916, p. 317-318 (and see also p. 314)

[2] Drieskens 2008, p. 102

[3] El-Kowrany, S. et al. 2016. See the article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123215001137

[4] Meyerhof 1916, p. 319.

The Bedouin Silver blog gives credit where credit is due! Transparent referencing and citing sources helps us all grow. Would you like to do the same and quote this article? Here’s how:

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The Bedouin Silver Jewellery Blog: Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery, and obtained her PhD at Leiden University on jewellery, informal ritual and collections. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only. Sigrid strongly believes in accessibility of knowledge, and aims to provide reliable and trustworthy content: that’s why the Bedouin Silver blog provides references and citations.

Bedouin jewellery: Intro

Bedouin jewellery: Intro

by | Cultures & People

What is Bedouin jewellery

Bedouin jewellery: an introduction

Published Nov 25, 2023

‘Bedouin jewellery’ and ‘Bedouin silver’ are among the search terms most used for traditional jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia. That is even where this blog gets its name from! But what is Bedouin jewellery, exactly?

Who are the Bedouin?

Before we can look into Bedouin jewellery, we’ll need to get a grasp of who the Bedouin are. The word Bedouin comes from the Arabic Badawi, which means ‘of the desert’. That is a referral to their nomadic origins, and distinguishes them from sedentary people who lived near water and greenery. Those nomadic origins are reflected in the wide area the Bedouin live in today. You might think of the Arab Peninsula first, and you would be right, but Bedouin tribes live from Morocco to Iraq.

The backbone of Bedouin society is their tribal structure. That is not just an organizational structure, but also one with geographical reach. A tribe consists of many clans, made up by families, and levels of kinship are important. The space in which a tribe lives, is also recognized as their land: its borders are known and follow natural boundaries such as wadis, rivers or mountain ranges. [1]

That regional aspect of Bedouin life clashes regularly with modern state authorities.[2] The map shown below for example is from 1908 and shows the Bedouin tribes living in Southwest Asia. You see how the dwelling area of tribes can be quite large and extends across borders as we know them today.

Map from 1908 showing the Bedouin tribes in the Sinai, Palestine and Arab Peninsula.

What is Bedouin jewellery?

Unsurprisingly, Bedouin jewellery is the jewellery worn by Bedouin tribes. That might seem like a total no-brainer, but today you will find many pieces of jewellery described as ‘Bedouin’ which really are not! The word ‘Bedouin’ has become almost a synonym for jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia in general, and as such is at the verge of losing all meaning itself.

So, in order to recognize Bedouin jewellery, looking at the people that used these items is important. In other words: the answer to what Bedouin jewellery is, depends very much on which Bedouin you’re talking about. The jewellery of Omani Bedouin looks very different from that of Palestinian Bedouin, which in turn has nothing in common with Maghrebi Bedouin. But: they all share designs, motifs and workmanship with the other cultures of the geographical area they live in. And that reflects their history.

A faceveil from Palestinian/Egyptian Bedouin, showing coins.
Spendid Rashayda dress and silver jewellery.

Bedouin jewellery: history

The history of those many Bedouin tribes is visible in their jewellery. Jewellery and adornment show who they were in contact with. The coins on Palestinian and Egyptian Bedouin face veils present a beautiful economic overview of the people and societies they traded with. An example is shown in the gallery above: click on the image to enlarge it. Veils will have old Ottoman coins, Palestinian Mandate period coins, Russian coins and later on Israeli shekels: the changes of the political landscape the Bedouin live in, is recorded in their adornment.

The heavy face veils of the Rashayda Bedouin in Ethiopia, Sudan and Eritrea are reminiscent of those of the Rashayda tribe in Saudi Arabia: the Rashayda migrated from the Arab Peninsula about a century ago. Because of the close proximity of the Arab Peninsula, across the Red Sea, Rashayda jewellery still show similarities on both sides. An example is shown in the gallery above: click on the image to enlarge it.

A much earlier migration is that of the Maghrebi Bedouin tribes, who moved into North Africa in the Middle Ages, with the Arab expansion. The best-known Bedouin tribe living in the Maghreb are the Banu Hilal, but, for example, also the Ouled Nail and the Awlad Ali are descendants of Bedouin tribes from the Arab Peninsula. Their jewellery shows much more similarity to that of their Amazigh neighbours (although that relationship has often been a difficult one) than that of the Arab Peninsula. An example is shown in the gallery below.

A Ouled Nail Bedouin woman and silver bracelets.

Bedouin jewellery: a kaleidoscope of styles

This short exploration into Bedouin tribes across the Middle East and North Africa has shown how wide and varied this world is. There is no single style of ‘Bedouin jewellery’, and the term certainly does not apply to any and all traditional jewellery from the Middle East. It is not exclusive to jewellery from the Arab Peninsula, either: Bedouin tribes live in a very large region. I will be adding details in the Cultures & People-section of this blog gradually, so do check back regularly or subscribe to the Jewellery List to receive updates in your inbox!

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References

[1] Weir, S. 2007. A Tribal Order. Politics and Law in the Mountains of Yemen. British Museum, p. 92-93.

[2] Westheimer, R. & G. Sedan 2009. Shifting Sands. Bedouin Women at the Crossroads. Lantern Books, New York describes the consequences for Bedouin women in Israel.

Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only.

Ancient jewellery: Egypt

Ancient jewellery: Egypt

by | Cultures & People

jewellery of the pharaohs

Ancient Egyptian jewellery

What is the history of traditional jewellery in North Africa and the Middle East? Historical context and cultural heritage have left their traces in the traditional jewellery worn in countries as we know them today, and so this blog series takes us back to the distant past. In this blog, I will look at jewellery history in Egypt in very broad strokes: what is the history of ancient Egyptian jewellery?

Jewellery along the Nile

Egypt’s geographical location in northeastern Africa, on the fertile banks of the river Nile wedged in between deserts, has contributed to a recognizable style: while trade and diplomatic contacts brought international influences to Egypt, the country was also isolated enough to maintain its own style. Although jewellery from ancient Egypt seems to be represented well, what we know of today actually reflects only a very small portion of jewellery that once existed.

This is because jewellery of costly materials was often melted down and reused and stones were carved and recarved. Jewellery as is excavated from undisturbed royal burials gives us an idea of the adornment of the elite, while bits and pieces and fragments of faience jewellery tells the tale of local jewellery.

Ancient jewellery: before the pyramids

The use of jewellery in ancient Egypt dates back to early prehistory. When prehistoric communities gradually developed into kingdoms, jewellery was used to express ideology and status. One of the earliest rulers whose tomb has been excavated, is King Djer. He was buried near Abydos around 3,000 BCE, and his tomb is one of the largest of its kind. This was before the pyramids were built. The bracelets found in his tomb are the oldest surviving examples of royal jewellery in Egypt, and share a history of ideology, technology and trade.

Old Kingdom jewellery: the treasure box of the King’s Mother

The Great Pyramid on the Giza Plateau near Cairo was built by Pharaoh Khufu, known as Cheops to the Greeks. The tomb of his mother Hetep-Heres was discovered by chance only a stone’s throw away. A set of 10 silver bracelets per arm, gradually expanding in size so she could wear them from wrist to elbow, were carefully stored in a purpose-made box. They were decorated with butterfly motifs in carnelian and lapis lazuli.

During this period, we also find the use of cylinder seals. These were rolled into wet clay by means of signing and sealing. They take the form of beads and were worn visibly. This type of adornment combines the practical with status: whoever wore these, was able to read and write, and in a position of power.

The use of cylinder seals itself is mainly attested in Mesopotamia (current-day Syria and Iraq), and so these beads also tell us out about contacts and exchange with that region.

Middle Kingdom jewellery: princesses and diplomats

The pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom (2040 – 1780 BCE) chose Dahshur as their burial site. Here they built pyramids surrounded by other tombs, and in the funerary complex of king Senwosret III the treasure of a princess called Sit-Hathor-Yunet was found.

The jewellery pieces show the favoured combination of turquoise, lapis lazuli and carnelian and are very finely made. Among the jewellery were diadems, hair decoration, pectoral pendants, girdles, bracelets and anklets. Judging by the quality of the workmanship, these are believed to have been created in royal workshops, and are likely to have been commissioned by the king himself.

The find of one such pectoral pendant with the name of king Amenemhet III in current-day Lebanon, and now in the National Museum in Beirut, may even indicate jewellery was sent out as diplomatic gifts or traveled with high ranking Egyptians.

New Kingdom jewellery: the time of Tutankhamun

Around 1400 BCE, Egypt was a regional ‘superpower’. Not just the Egyptian Nile Valley, but large parts of current-day Sudan, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria were firmly under the control of the pharaohs. Their span of influence reached even further, as trade contacts were kept with the Aegean world, Cyprus and Mesopotamia.

This resulted in not only an abundance of materials to work with, but in new style influences as well. In turn, luxury goods from Egypt were sent out all over the region. Scarabs bearing the names of pharaohs were exchanged as gifts and propaganda, Egyptian gold was in high demand and local rulers were buried with fine examples of Egyptian craftmanship.

The jewellery of Tutankhamun shows the wide variety of materials used: not just gold and semi-precious stones, but also flowers mixed with gold and faience beads.

A stela of Nubian queen Amanishakheto, paired with a piece of gold jewellery belonging to her

The Nubian kingdoms: jewellery of the warrior-queens

While Egypt has always traded with, and later on conquered Nubia because they needed access to gold, the tables were turned in the 8th century BCE.

The Nubian king Piye, based in Napata in northern Sudan, gathered an army and conquered Egypt. Like the Egyptian kings, the Nubian kings were buried in pyramids, surrounded by lavish grave goods including jewellery. These were all made in an Egyptianizing style and incorporated Egyptian gods and stylistic elements.

Around the beginning of the CE, the Nubian kingdoms had established their capital even further south, in Meroë. Nubian queens ruled in their own right and led a firm resistance against the Roman armies, that had by then invaded Egypt. Queen Amanirenas, who ruled between 40 and 10 BCE, staged a surprise attack on the Roman armies and captured several cities in the south of Egypt.

These Nubian queens are depicted in Egyptianizing style, and always decked out in jewellery befitting their status.

A Fayum portrait from Egypt, combined with a Roman gold necklace.

Roman Egypt: jewellery in an multicultural world

During the Greek and Roman periods, Egyptian tradition mixed with new influences. In Fayum Oasis, elite ladies were buried with a painted portrait that adorned their mummy. These portraits show lifelike images of the deceased, dressed out in their finery.

The people depicted are dressed in Roman style fashion, hairdo and jewellery, and portraits offer much insight into the jewellery worn. Several examples of this jewellery have also been found in archaeological excavations.

Egypt formed part of a long-distance trade network: pearls came from the area of current-day UAE, diamonds, rubies and sapphires were imported from Asia and emeralds were mined in Egypt’s Eastern Desert.

Fatimid jewellery: medieval splendour

Cairo was the capital of the Fatimid dynasty (909 – 1171). The jewellery of this period is exceptionally finely made, using wire filigree and granulation. Not much of it survived, as it was mostly melted down in later periods. Besides in Egypt and Syria, Fatimid jewellery has been found in Spain as well and served there as the basis for later jewellery styles.

The openwork filigree of the Fatimids continued to be produced under the Ottomans, albeit less delicate and in completely different shapes, and so continued into the traditional jewellery of our time.

This blog will continue with the traditional silver jewellery of Egypt.

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Where can I learn more about ancient Egyptian jewellery?

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References for further reading

RAWI Issue 7

Bulsink, M. 2015. Egyptian Gold Jewellery. Palma Egyptology 12, Brepols Publishers, Turnhout

Fletcher, N. 2020. Ancient Egyptian Jewelry. 50 Masterpieces of Art and Design. AUC Press, Cairo.

Jenkins, M. 1988. Fatimid Jewelry, its influences and subtypes, in: Ars Orientalis, Vol. 18

Lacovara, P. and Y. Markowitz, 2020. Jewels of the Nile. Giles Art Publishing

Lane, E.W. 1860. An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians. The Definitive 1860 Edition. The American University in Cairo Press, Cairo (2003).

Markowitz, Y. and D. Doxey, 2014. Jewels of Ancient Nubia. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only.

Silberschmuck aus Nubien

Silberschmuck aus Nubien

by | Reviews

Collection of Wolfgang and Sibylle Mayer

Silberschmuck aus Nubien

Silver jewellery from Nubia is a category of jewellery that has not received all that much attention throughout the years, and so a new book on this beautiful heritage is very welcome! Silberschmuck aus Nubien is devoted to the private collection of Sibylle and Wolfgang Mayer.

Cover of the book Silberschmuck aus Nubien

Bedouin Silver | Silberschmuck aus Nubien

Sample page form the book Silberschmuck aus Nubien, showing silver jewellery with rosettes.

Silberschmuck aus Nubien | rosettes

Sample page from the book Silverschmuck aus Nubien, showing the beginning of the chapter on bracelets.

Silberschmuck aus Nubien | bracelets

This collection was built up over decades by Wolfgang and Sibylle Mayer, a German couple living and working on the island of Elephantine in the south of Egypt, opposite the town of Aswan, and elsewhere in Egypt. The book opens with the ‘how’ of collecting: I’m always interested in what triggered collectors to fall in love with a certain type of jewellery, and here it is living in, and falling in love with, a culture. Having been in Aswan myself many times, both for work and for holiday sojourns, reading this book brought back so many memories.

I very much appreciated that it looks beyond jewellery itself to its people: the first chapters introduce life in Nubia briefly, and describe the fundamental changes in both the countryside itself and their impact on its inhabitants as a result of the Aswan Dam. Much of Nubia was flooded permanently and people were forced to relocate, which had an impact on lifestyle and thus on jewellery. Understanding that background is important to appreciating jewellery that belongs in it. Speaking of cultural background, I loved how the book also shows the decoration on not just jewellery, but on houses and utensils, too: jewellery is as much part of material culture as anything else.

The book itself is beautifully designed. Each chapter opens with a large black and white photograph of jewellery being worn, and then goes on to show a variety of silver jewellery that you will not find easily anywhere else. Bracelets, pendants, coin jewellery, anklets, earrings, nose rings, finger rings….in many forms and designs, as well as beautifully designed silver kohl needles. There are some truly remarkable pieces to be admired in this book: the imitation coin jewellery is very rare, as are several of the amulets shown.

Much of the collection was purchased in Aswan and in Cairo. That explains why there is a large body of jewellery in the book that is Egyptian, but not necessarily Nubian: zār jewellery. [1] The author explicitly states that he believes the majority of his collection may actually be from Middle and Lower Egypt (notably Cairo) [p. 75], and looking at the photos I agree that that is probably the case. The photographs of a zār included in this section are the same as featured in the book on zār by dr. el-Hadidi, or here on this website – which makes sense, as this is a most private event that is rarely photographed. The many examples of zār jewellery in this book are sometimes misidentified, but that does not diminish the value of the photographs: these pages will give you a great overview of the variety in zār pendants with spirit images!

The chapter on zār jewellery links more to Middle and Lower Egypt than to Nubia, but also within the earlier chapters there is a regional variety within Nubia itself that is not addressed. Nubia encompasses quite a large area, and the rings shown on pages 66-67 for example reflect that: there are rings present as worn by the coastal Rashayda tribes, but also from the Nile Valley villages. These regional varieties in jewellery remain unaddressed throughout the book. The bibliography does not mention the work of Griselda Tayib [2] (but frankly, that is really hard to obtain) or Imogen Thurbon [3]: both focus on Sudan, which also includes parts of Nubia. But, as the author writes, collecting with a scholarly goal was never the plan [p. 106] – this is a collection built from the heart, and that passion shines through in every page.

The collection also shows the cultural influences that you’d expect in a trade city as well connected as Aswan: for centuries, trade routes converged here. The schematic drawing of the rosette, which is a staple of Nubian jewellery, as shown on page 27 is actually drawn after a pendant from Oman – but one that ended up in Nubia and fit right in. One of the bracelets on page 45 is from Yemen, and several rings shown are worn on either side of the Red Sea: there is so much that ended up in the souks of Aswan (and also Cairo, of course) that bears testimony to this long history of trade and connection!

And what I found the most wonderful thing to read are the future plans for this collection! When you have been following this blog for a while, you know my greatest concern is not what is happening to jewellery today, but what will become of it in the future. (and if you’re new to this blog: there is more about that here). What will happen to collected jewellery when its collectors are no longer there? How will it continue to speak for the people who created it? For this collection, there is a clear plan in place: the couple have promised large parts of their collection to a yet to be realized museum on the history of Nubia in Wadi Halfa. Seeing this heritage return home eventually, where it will be integrated in the many stories of living and working in this part of the world, is simply inspiring.

Silberschmuck aus Nubien is a great visual reference book for anyone interested in jewellery from southern Egypt and northern Sudan! The beautiful photography allows you to zoom in on details, and the collection is just stunning. This book does much to spark the enthousiasm for Nubian silver jewellery and to keep it visible and admired: particularly with a relatively unknown category of traditional jewellery, that is no small feat. And if you do not read German, I know you will love it for its photographs and the wide variety of jewellery alone!

Silberschmuck aus Nubien. Ein fast verlorenes Kulturgut. By Wolfgang Mayer, 2021.

Full colour, 111 pages, in German. Published by Edition esefeld & traub, Stuttgart.

Available with the publisher and via Amazon.

The book was purchased in the museum shop of the Schmuckmuseum in Pforzheim.

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References

[1] Full disclaimer: I’m close to finishing my PhD-research into zār jewellery and as such have seen more of them and read more about these than can be reasonably expected of anyone else who wants to keep their sanity. When it’s published, hopefully in the near future, this link will refer to it: the collection shown in Silberschmuck aus Nubien is absolutely wonderful and informative regardless!

[2] Griselda Tayib, Regional Costumes of Sudan: see more here

[3] Imogen Thurbon runs the informative website Women’s Literacy Sudan: see this post for example on hair braiding in Sudan

Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only.

Keys as amulets

Keys as amulets

by | Magic & Amulets

magic of keys

Keys as amulets

Among the forms that are not immediately associated with amulets, is that of a key. Yet they appear as amulet in several ways throughout the Middle East and North Africa, from actual keys to images of keys. You will see them dangling from necklaces, included as miniature charm on charm necklaces, and alluded to in embroidery for example. What is the symbolic meaning of a key? In this article, I will introduce three ways keys hold significance as amulets in the Middle East.

Detail of a silver somt necklace, leather amulet pouches, bright beaded necklaces and keys worn by a Bedouin woman from Oman.

Power of keys: materials and amulets

First off, the material that keys were traditionally made of, is powerful in itself. Jinn are known to be afraid of iron, (see here why that is) and so anything made from iron would keep them at a distance. Keys, which for a long time were made of iron, fit that criterium perfectly. The image of the necklaces worn by a Bedouin woman from Oman shows her wearing a set of keys amidst leather amulet pouches: most likely, the keys also serve an apotropaic function.

A more recent version of a key as amulet is the silver key from Oman, shown below, which is shaped after a modern key. In North Africa, tiny keys sewn on to children’s clothing help prevent an early death. [1] (see here which spirits were feared for harming children). In 1915, a baby boy in Algeria was seen adorned with a series of amulets, including two iron keys, and the author observing that practice also noticed that keys were worn commonly as a charm. [2]

Silver Omani amulets, including a silver key

Key symbolism: locking and unlocking

There is more to keys than just the material they are made of, and is where their function comes into view. Keys, of course, lock and unlock things. The concept of locking and unlocking is closely related to a woman’s fertility: not so much in terms of chastity, but in the context of spirits blocking her from getting pregnant or causing a miscarriage. In that respect, keys function in a similar fashion to knots and knotting (see more about that here).

Here, keys are often combined with locks: amulets in the shape of locks were believed to prevent miscarriage in Egypt, as these ‘lock’ the womb until the time of birth has come. [3] When a birth is difficult, the reverse principle is used, and the key to a saint’s tomb is placed on the lower back of the mother to ease the birth. [4]

An Islamic magic bowl with a tiny iron key attached

Keys in ritual: protection and knowledge

Keys are also symbolic of accessing protection and knowledge. An example of that are the magical bowls of the Yezidi, where tiny amulet plaquettes are attached to its rim. These are called kilit, which literally means ‘key’ in Kurdic. [5] These amulet plaquettes can also take the form of an actual key, such as shown above.

The general idea is that the key amulet would enhance the efficacy of the bowl by submerging it into the water of the bowl. [6] Bowls like these were used in informal ritual aimed, again, at securing healthy pregnancy and safe births, as well as protection from evil forces. [7]

Keys as amulets: the magic in everyday objects

A seemingly simple household item may hold deep significance on a supernatural level: this example of keys shows how ‘magic’ is not something alien or mysterious, but something that is expressed in forms and shapes most familiar to us.

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What kinds of amulets exist in North Africa and the Middle East?

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References

[1] Hansmann, L. and L. Kriss-Rettenbeck 1977. Amulet und Talismann. Erscheinungsform und Geschichte. Verlag Georg D.W. Callwey, Munchen, p. 240.

[2] Hilton-Simpson, M.W. 1915. Some Algerian Superstitions Noted among the Shawia Berbers of the Aures Mountains and their Nomad Neighbours, in: Folklore Vol. 26, no. 3, p. 233 and p. 240.

[3] Hansen, N. 2006. Motherhood in the Mother of the World, PhD-thesis, University of Chicago, p. 116.

[4] Idem

[5] Biesterfeld, H. & D. Pielow (eds) 2019. Die Geheimnisse der Oberen und Unteren Welt. Magie im Islam zwischen Glaube und Wissenschaft, Brill, Leiden. p. 469-470 for a description of these bowls.

[6] Idem, p. 469

[7] Idem, p. 472-473

 

Sigrid van Roode

Sigrid van Roode is an archeologist, ethnographer and jewellery historian. Her main field of expertise is jewellery from North Africa and Southwest Asia, as well as archaeological and archaeological revival jewellery. She has authored several books on jewellery. Sigrid has lectured for the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Turquoise Mountain Jordan, and many others. She provides consultancy and research on jewellery collections for both museums and private collections, teaches courses and curates exhibitions. She is not involved in the business of buying and selling jewellery, and focuses on research, knowledge production, and education only.