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| Amulets: Sacred Charms of Power and Protection | 
 enlarge | Author: Sheila Paine
Publisher: Inner Traditions
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $18.74
You Save: $11.21 (37%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 305584
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 192
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 10.1 x 8.7 x 0.8
ISBN: 1594770255
Dewey Decimal Number: 133
EAN: 9781594770258
ASIN: 1594770255
Publication Date: September 20, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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Product Description
The first comprehensive illustrated study of the use of amulets around the world and throughout history
• Explores not only the substances and symbolism from which amulets derive, but also the people and objects they protect
• Explains the differences between and the purposes of amulets, talismans, charms, and fetishes
All over the world and throughout history amulets have offered protection against negative forces, whether witchcraft, the evil eye, enemies, sickness, or accidents. Intricately beautiful or starkly simple, they come in an astonishing variety of guises: from stones, shells, and seeds, through animal tails, teeth, and claws, to beads, mirrors, needles, and bells.
With over 400 lavish color photographs, this book explores amulets from every angle, including their symbolism and the diverse material used to craft them as well as the people and objects they protect. Sheila Paine traveled all over the world--from Afghanistan, Russia, and Albania, to Cameroon, Tunisia, and Mexico--to research the form, properties, and use of amulets, whether for health and safety or as channels for spiritual or magical powers. Worn as necklaces, sewn to clothing, painted on buildings, or hung in vehicles, amulets guard babies and brides; warriors, hunters, and travelers; livestock, crops, and homes through magical, not physical, means. Malign spirits and hobgoblins at crossroads have been feared since ancient times, but modern dangers--car crashes, new diseases, even cell phones--have ensured an abiding faith in the magical protection that amulets afford us that is still widely evident today.
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| Customer Reviews:
and a half Stars - Excellent Book on the Topic November 23, 2004
41 out of 43 found this review helpful
Sheila Paine is an expert on tribal societies and textiles, and is the author of several books covering textiles and their tribal use. This book, Amulets, is a source of history, cultural background, stories and photographs of amulets the author has collected from her travels to more than thirty countries.
The book is a lovely presentation. Printed on glossy paper, it has detailed photos of the amulets covering each page of the book along with a caption for each picture so you know exactly what you are looking at as well as where it came from in just a brief view of the material. This book reads like a museum catalogue, and the discussion of the material is at the same high level, to the author's credit.
The photos are not limited to the amulets alone, but also present us with pictures that express the culture of the people who produce these spiritual works of art. Tribal photos, showing the use of amulets in their daily dress or their festive dress, both from the past as well as modern day give the reader the background and good visual references for the culture. Amulets are not just small bits of bone or stone, but can be as complex as tribal masks, woven hats or cloth, pottery animals or elaborate shields. The variety presented in this book gives us a very large picture of the topic where many of us would only be familiar with a few.
The book is a good reference on the cultural aspects of amulets, as well as a basic study on some tribal culture. If you are not familiar with either topic, this book presents a good base to the study and is easy to understand and follow. While it is not National Geographic, it is just as easy to read, and holds your interest. Nothing dry and boring here.
The layout of the book is by what the amulet is made of, such as "Buttons, beads and blue" or "Hands and crosses". If you are just "cruising" through the book, the Table of Contents gives you a place to start. The Bibliography is quite extensive and presents many sources that you may not have seen before. And the index is extensive, well thought out and makes for easy reference. There is even a "Picture Credits" giving the photographers credit for their contributions.
The research, the notations of how the amulets are used and the history of the pieces discussed in the book makes this an excellent reference for those who are serious about studying this topic. While not a book on "magic", it is a book on an aspect of magic we practice and its cultural and sociological background. It borders on anthropological, but is fascinating for the history, lore and background it will give the average practitioner.
This is a very fine, intelligent and professional presentation and discussion of a topic that will interest many. I recommend this to those who have an interest in Amulets, as well as those who study cultural and tribal history. This is an excellent reference on the work, and one that will be at home on the coffee table or in the serious library. boudica
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