Stories
- In pictures
Moles’ feet, dried frogs and other folk medicines
Early-20th-century folklorist Edward Lovett made it his mission to discover the nation’s beliefs and superstitions, collecting amulets from cottage cupboards up and down the country.
- Article
A symbol of a lost homeland
The story of one protective amulet from Palestine reveals a complex tale. Encompassing the personal history of an influential doctor and collector, it provides a window onto dispossession and exile, and the painful repercussions that are still felt today.
- Article
The ancient doctors who refused payment
The NHS might only be 70 years old, but the idea of free healthcare goes back to Ancient Greece, when devout doctors provided their services without charge.
- Article
The evil eye and social anxiety
The ‘look’ of the evil eye is believed to bring bad luck, illness or even death. This ancient curse might be deliberate, inflicted with an envious glare, or it could be accidental, the result of undue attention or excessive praise.
Catalogue
- Digital Images
- Online
Amulet. Sudanese, 19th century.
- Digital Images
- Online
Amulet, short length of carved ivory, Africa.
- Digital Images
- Online
Amulet in the form of a fish, ...Aboriginal peoples.
- Digital Images
- Online
Amulet 'for warding off the evils of war and sickness'.
- Digital Images
- Online
Amulet 'for warding off the evils of war and sickness'.
