Amulet [67.1.1.3]: Amulet for newborn children (Iran, 18th century)

Amulet [67.1.1.3]: Amulet for newborn children (Iran, 18th century)
Originally uploaded by MagnesMuseum

An amulet, similar to a talisman (Arabic), can be any object but its most important characteristic is its alleged power to protect its owner from danger or harm, says Wikipedia.[1]

Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words in the form of a magical spell, incantation, to repel evil or bad luck.

The word "amulet" comes from the Latin amuletum; the earliest extant use of the term is in Pliny's Natural History, meaning "an object that protects a person from trouble". [2][3]