Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-06-03
CHARMS AND AMULETS.
FETICHES WHICH PEOPLE WEAR
ON WATCH CHARMS.
5carabs and Golden Eyes From Ancient
Egypt-Seals From Babylon and
Fossil Trilobites and Luck
Pennies.

guards. There is well known Wash
ingtonian whose scarf is usually
adorned with an Egyptian scarab
worth $5, 900. It's appraisement is so
high not so much on account of its en-
quisite Workmanship as because it was
found in the sarcophagus of Rameses
the Great and is believed to have been
the royal seal The beetle was the
emblem of the Creator in the mythol-
ogy of the people who lived in ancient
Egypt and great numbers of scarabei
are discovered with the mummies in
the tombs.
In the tombs of the Pharaohs have
also been found very curious repre-.
sensations of tho human eye in gold.
Some of them are left eyes and 9th.
ers right. They are beautifully exc
cuted, the brows. lids and pupils be-
ing carved out of little rectangular
pieces of metal. 1t is believed that
they were carried about by people for
a protection against diseases OF the
eye. which IN Northern Africa have
always been extremely prevalent
The glare OF the white sandy plains
produces dangerous opthalmia. while
every modern traveller is familiar with
the little flies which lay their eggs
within the lids. the larvae Matching
therefrom feeding upon the tissues of
the organ.
After the Oriental manner the ma
tives of Egypt have always been en-
tirely neglectful of remedial measures
for the treatment OF such complaints
In the olden days they wore these
golden eyes for tie purpose of ward
/ ing off the evil influences which were
supposed to cause such diseases. A
person whose right eye was sick would
carry the corresponding optic carved
in metal and vice versa Probably it
was the eye of the goddess Isis which
was represented. When the good god
Osiris was set upon by the Egyptian
satan. whose name was Typhon, and
cut to pieces. the fragments Of his
body being thrown to tie gnomes,
she wept so much that the river Nile
was formed by her tears. Suisse
quently she managed to collect all the
bits and made him as good as now
again. Recently it has been quite
fad to hang counterfeits of these
1t is upon watch guards nowadays
that amulets such as these are mostly
worn. They are supposed TO possess
all sorts of virtues supernatural. II is
astonishing how many people, even in
this enlightened nineteenth century,
have faith in them. Although belief
in ghosts and witches no longer pre-
walls. yet the dread OF the mysterious
unknown in nature retains more or
less influence over every human mind.
lndi' iduals are often heard to say that
they have no superstitions, but in
reality there is no one who does not
cherish a few secretly. The form in
which this weakness is most common
| ly exhibited is an unreasoning faith
that luck inheres in certain objects
You pick up copper cent in the
street and put it in your pocket book
for luck penny 1t is an amulet
pure and simple.
Thus tho little cylinders of stone
which the Babylonians of old en-
ployed for seals are often seen dang
ling from watch chains. For the
same purpose jewelers. mount in gold
or silver small fossil trllobites-
crustaceans found in rocks that were
formed perhaps 10. 600. 900 years ago.
the ancestors of modern Holsters and
crabs. Gamblers and actors are of
all people most given to superstitions
respecting luck. and 1t is not surpris-
ing to find that thcy are greatly adj
dicted to amulets OF various kinds,
carrying them on their watch guards,
in scarf-pins and set in rings for the
fingers Miniature boars' tusks and
the shells so much affected by gypsies
are both of very ancient Priapic
origin. What they signify can be
easily found out By any one who cares
TO inquire
Horse chestnuts and potatoes car
ried in the pocket to keep off rheuma-
tism or for other superstitious pur-
poses are amulets. The virtues sup
posed to be possessed by amber beads
are variously familiar says the Wash
ington Star. Belief in the super
natural qualities of amber is very old
indeed. It rose originally from its
peculiar electric quality. from which
was derived the word electricity.
electron being the Greek name for
amber Miniature arrow heads cut
out of jasper and carnelian are found
TO this day by Arabs in the desert
sands and strung in necklaces for
charms The Etruscans OF old used to
mount similar arrow heads in gold.
and one sees them worn even now in
scarf pms. Thus is the stone age
brought down to the very present
time.
Peoples fingers, cut from the hands
OF the dead are sometimes carried as
amulets by the ignorant and supersti
tioas. Dried lizards sewn up in
leather serve the same purpose The
Indian hunter will cut the shape of an