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Stories

  • 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 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.

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Images

  • Collection of amulets and charms,
  • A West African witchdoctor with a hat entirely covered with amulets of leather and feathers. The leather is sewn into little pouches, each of which contains verses from the Koran and other charms.
  • An Indian drummer used as a good luck charm by soldiers during the First World War.
  • A black cat used as a good luck charm by soldiers during the First World War.
  • Compass encased within a shell, good luck charm
  • A selection of good luck charms used by soldiers
  • Compass encased within a shell, good luck charm
  • A selection of good luck charms used by soldiers
  • Compass encased within a shell, good luck charm
  • A gold memento mori pendant, used to remind the user of the transience of life and material luxury, containing a decaying corpse inside a coffin. (Closed)
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Events

  • Session

Charmed Amulet Takeover

Reading Room
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  • Audio described
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