Amulet for protection (Gaster Amulet 205)
Paper amulet for the protection of the newborn, his mother, and the entire household, containing a "shiviti menorah" (Psalms 67 drawn in the shape of a menorah), and an "Ana Bekoaḥ menorah" (the piyuṭ Ana Bekoaḥ drawn in the shape of a menorah).
Information about this document
- Physical Location: The John Rylands Library
- Collection: Gaster Amulet Collection
- Classmark: Gaster Amulet 205
- Title: Amulet for protection
- Language(s): Hebrew
- Subject(s): Amulets
- Origin Place: Place of origin not known.
- Date of Creation: 18th-19th century
- Former Owner(s): Gaster, Moses 1856-1939
- Quotation(s):"שומר נפשות חסידיו הוא ישמור וינצור להילד הזה הנולד בבית הזה מכל מרעין בישין ובפרט מכל היזק לילין ולילתין ושדין ושדתין ולא יזיקו להילד הזה ולא לאמו היולדת ולא לשום נברא אשר אתם בבית הזה"
- Note(s):
Abbreviations and divine names are marked with apostrophes or wave-like overlines.
- Format: Sheet
- Material(s): Paper
- Extent: height: 210 mm, width: 155 mm.
- Mode: Hung on the wall.
- Function: Protection.
- Shape: rectangle
- Condition:
The ink faded, usage stains, small tears, and a large one in the lower part of the leaf.
- Layout: The text is divided to two sections, the upper part contains a biblical verse and divine names in square script, while the lower part contains the main formula (the aim of the amulet) in cursive script.
- Script:
Hebrew Sephardi square and cursive script.
- Decoration:
Framed with a curely frame, including tree arboreal shapes at the top of the paper, with two stalk-like shapes. Two flowery shapes at the centre of the amulet, and a volute under the angelic name טפטפיה.
- Provenance: According to the note in the upper margin by Moses Gaster, he acquired the item in 1904: "M. Gaster | A. Abe...is 16.2.904."
- Acquisition: Acquired by The John Rylands Library from the heirs of Moses Gaster in 1954.
- Date of Acquisition: 1954
- Data Source(s): Catalogue description is by Gal Sofer (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva); edited by Zsófia Buda.
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- Physical Location: The John Rylands Library
- Collection: Gaster Amulet Collection
- Classmark: Gaster Amulet 205
- Title: Amulet for protection
- Language(s): Hebrew
- Subject(s): Amulets
- Origin Place: Place of origin not known.
- Date of Creation: 18th-19th century
- Former Owner(s): Gaster, Moses 1856-1939
- Quotation(s):"שומר נפשות חסידיו הוא ישמור וינצור להילד הזה הנולד בבית הזה מכל מרעין בישין ובפרט מכל היזק לילין ולילתין ושדין ושדתין ולא יזיקו להילד הזה ולא לאמו היולדת ולא לשום נברא אשר אתם בבית הזה"
- Note(s):
Abbreviations and divine names are marked with apostrophes or wave-like overlines.
- Format: Sheet
- Material(s): Paper
- Extent: height: 210 mm, width: 155 mm.
- Mode: Hung on the wall.
- Function: Protection.
- Shape: rectangle
- Condition:
The ink faded, usage stains, small tears, and a large one in the lower part of the leaf.
- Layout: The text is divided to two sections, the upper part contains a biblical verse and divine names in square script, while the lower part contains the main formula (the aim of the amulet) in cursive script.
- Script:
Hebrew Sephardi square and cursive script.
- Decoration:
Framed with a curely frame, including tree arboreal shapes at the top of the paper, with two stalk-like shapes. Two flowery shapes at the centre of the amulet, and a volute under the angelic name טפטפיה.
- Provenance: According to the note in the upper margin by Moses Gaster, he acquired the item in 1904: "M. Gaster | A. Abe...is 16.2.904."
- Acquisition: Acquired by The John Rylands Library from the heirs of Moses Gaster in 1954.
- Date of Acquisition: 1954
- Data Source(s): Catalogue description is by Gal Sofer (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva); edited by Zsófia Buda.
