Three Wooden Amulets
What leads people to make protective charms and why do these objects take some many different forms? This talk examines three amulets from Afghanistan, and links them to a tradition that stretches back before the birth of Islam.
Figure 1. Carved wooden amulets, Afghanistan, twentieth century. Private collection, Victoria. Photo: Marcus Milwright.
Figure 2. Back and side views of the wooden amulets. Photo: Marcus Milwright.
Figure 3. Steel magic bowl etched with Qurʾanic inscriptions, purchased in Iran in 2014 by Fahime Ghorbani. Photo: Marcus Milwright.