Talisman

A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed permanently in architecture. Talismans are closely linked with amulets, fulfilling many of the same roles, but a key difference is in their functions. An amulet protects a person or possession against evil forces while a talisman provides good fortune.

Talismans have been used in many civilizations throughout history, with connections to astrological, scientific, and religious practices; but the theory around preparation and use has changed in some cultures with more recent, new age, talismanic theory. Talismans are used for a wide array of functions, such as: the personal protection of the wearer, loved ones or belongings, aiding in fertility, and helping crop production.

Etymology

The word talisman comes from French talisman, via Arabic ṭilasm (طِلَسْم, plural طلاسم ṭalāsim), which comes from the ancient Greek telesma (τέλεσμα), meaning 'completion, religious rite, payment', ultimately from the verb teleō (τελέω), 'I complete, perform a rite'.

History

A talisman is traditionally made by a specialist for a specific client. In Arabic tales, the talisman plays an important role. Similar objects included the scarab of the Egyptians, the Abraxas gem of the Gnostics, the mandrake and the armor of the Middle Ages, the victory stone of the Wieland legend, and the amulet, usually inscribed with magical symbols and sayings. Among the most common talismans in Chinese culture is the ruyi scepter.

The rabbit's foot, four-leaf clover, horseshoe, and lucky penny are all symbols of good luck. A talisman's distinctive feature is the temporal consistency with which it is intended to exert its effect—in contrast to a simple lucky charm, which often only serves a temporary function. A talisman is chosen and acquired by its wearer with a view to its hoped-for future effect; a simple lucky charm, on the other hand, is not so closely connected to the recipient of the good luck and can be interpreted as such even in retrospect. Something or someone is then presumed to have brought luck in a particular situation.

Among the most important Western works dealing with the creation and use of talismans is The Black Chicken, also known as Black Pullet or La poule noire. This grimoire from the French cycle of the Napoleonic era tells the story of a French officer who was cut off from his troops during Napoleon's Egyptian campaign and is said to have been introduced to the art of talismans in the Great Pyramid.

While the first part of the work is fictional, the second part delves into talismans, their properties, and their manufacture. A second work is "Introduction to the Entire Field of Occultism" by Manfred Kyber. Published at the beginning of the 20th century, the work begins by discussing talismans as the lowest form of the occult, before moving on to fortune-telling, the prophecy of Nostradamus, and out-of-body experiences.

Distinctions

According to David Rouach, it is appropriate to distinguish the talisman from the amulet and the pantacle 

The Amulet

The word comes from the Latin amuletum. This term always implies a prophylactic meaning, both medical and magical, since for a long time, curse was equivalent to illness. Very often, the amulet draws its substance from the animal or plant world: scarab, scorpion, tree... it is the least evolved form of the talisman. According to James George Frazier, it is a rite of inoculation because, by penetrating oneself with the substance of the feared being or simply by making contact with it or with its image, man becomes a portion of this being and thus acquires a certain immunity which preserves him from its attacks: thus to protect oneself from scorpion stings for example, one applies to oneself the beast which has bitten or its image 

The pantacle

The pantacle represents the most elaborate form of the talisman. This word comes from the Greek pan which means "all"; it evokes the idea of an object which contains the whole, that is to say a synthesis of the macrocosm. In fact, an additional notion intervenes, already perceptible in the talisman: it is astrology or the science of celestial influences  

Theories

For some authors, the talisman derives its power from the images it carries, for others (Thomas Aquinas, Marsilio Ficino) from the material from which it is made. Albert the Great, in De mineralibus, justifies the existence of purely astrological talismans. In this vein, the Speculum astronomiae (The Mirror of Astronomy), wrongly attributed to Albert the Great but which may have been authored by Richard de Fournival, invented the notion of "astrological image", a talisman (imago) which draws its virtue solely from the stars and which therefore owes nothing to demons, which does not contain any inscription, sign or ritual. 

For Thomas Aquinas, natural substances such as herbs and precious stones can have certain powers in connection with their astrological affinities, and it is legitimate to use them in medicine; but if letters or characters are engraved on the stones or invocations and incantations are used with herbs, any subsequent effect is the work of evil demons, and the operator has made an explicit or tacit pact with the Evil One. Marsilio Ficino makes a list of the seven things which can attract celestial influences, according to the planets: Moon (stones, metals, etc.), Mercury (plants, fruits, animals), Venus (powders, vapors, odors), Sun (words, songs, sounds), Mars (emotion, imagination), Jupiter (reason), finally Saturn (intellectual contemplation, divine intuition).

Preparation of talismans

New Age

According to New Age talismanic practices, features with magical associations—such as colors, scents, symbology, and patterns, figures—can be integrated into the creation of a talisman in addition to the chosen planetary or elemental symbolism. However, these must be used in harmony with the elemental or planetary force chosen so as to amplify the intended power of the talisman. It is also possible to add a personal touch to the talisman by incorporating a verse, inscription, or pattern that is of particular meaning to the maker. These inscriptions can be sigils (magical emblems), bible verses, or sonnets, but they too must be in harmony with the talisman's original purpose.

Islam

In Islam, using amulets as protection is considered Shirk. However, use of verses of the Qur'an in slips of parchment rolled inside talismanic objects has been common throughout the Muslim World. For example, Muslim Ibn al-hajjaj instructed military commanders to inscribe Quran 54:46 on a cloth with rosewater, musk, and amber when Libra is rising and in the hour of the sun, and to carry it to the battlefield to prosper over oppressors and nonbelievers.

The 10th century ‘Abbasid mathematician, Thabit ibn Qurra, was considered to be an expert on talismans. In one of his texts on talismans, he wrote, ‘The noblest part of astronomy is the science of talismans.' According to the 12th century translator John of Seville and Limia's version of ibn Qurra's Arabic text, De imaginibus, he saw talismans and astronomy to be more crucial for gaining wisdom than the studies of geometry and philosophy. In Adelard of Bath's translation of the same text, it is stressed that extensive knowledge of both astronomy and astrology is needed for creating a talisman. This information is necessary because talismans should be made at the moment of an auspicious celestial event. One's birth horoscope could also be a factor in the efficacy of talismans. The maker cannot have any distractions or doubts, otherwise their talisman will be powerless.

Adelard's translation specifies that to make a talisman which could earn love from a king, family member, or peer, one should use lead, iron, bronze, gold, or silver. To make a harmful talisman for creating conflicts between others, receiving money, defending or destroying a place, or winning a legal battle, one should use pitch and tar, bitumen, and aloes. An example of how to make a love talisman according to Ibn Qurra's book is as follows: Firstly, one must make sure it is the correct astrological time to perform this ritual because it is the eleventh place, or house, that is connected to friendship. Next, one must make a talisman of a man's figure during the specific astrological time, and with specific intention, and it must be engraved with the other person's name. Thirdly, one must make a second talisman, and it should be engraved with the name of the receiver of this love. After this, both the names and cognomina of each person should be engraved on both talismans. They must be positioned so that the names on each talisman touches the heart of the other talisman. Next in the process is to take a piece of unused parchment or cloth that has been purified with musk, ambergris, and camphor, and draw the ‘rings' of the lords of the ascendant and eleventh place. The talismans must be purified with saffron, aloe-wood, and frankincense, and then folded in the previously prepared cloth or parchment. This purification process should be repeated for three consecutive nights. During this process, a specific prayer related to the maker's intention must be recited, and the individual must be bathed and have clean clothes.

Uses of talismans

Islam

In the Islamic world, talismans were regularly employed for personal, social, political, and ideological reasons at both popular and elite levels. They function as a conduit for divine protection, which can involve both the attraction of positive energies to the wearer and the deflection of disease, danger and the evil eye. They may also be referred to as a hafiz, (protector) as well as a himala (pendant) often affixed to or suspended from the body, for example as a necklace, ring, talismanic shirt, or a small object within a portable pouch.

European medieval medicine

Lea Olsan writes of the use of amulets and talismans as prescribed by medical practitioners in the medieval period. She notes that the use of such charms and prayers was "rarely a treatment of choice" because such treatments could not be properly justified in the realm of Galen's medical teachings. Their use, however, was typically considered acceptable; references to amulets were common in medieval medical literature.

For example, one well-known medieval physician, Gilbertus, writes of the necessity of using a talisman to ensure conception of a child. He describes the process of producing this kind of talisman as "...writing words, some uninterruptible, some biblical, on a parchment to be hung around the neck of the man or woman during intercourse."

Islamic talismanic bowls

In the Quran, magic is introduced by the two angels of Babel, Harūt and Marūt. Magic, or sihr, was seen as a supernatural force existing in the natural world that could cure disease with charms and spells. Many bowls were inscribed with text explaining what this bowl should be used to cure (i.e. colic, childbirth, a nosebleed etc.) as well as instructions of how to use it. The bronzed engraved "Magic Bowl" from Syria c. 1200 is an example of a dish used to ease childbirth as well as ease the sting of a scorpion and bite of a mad dog, according to the Quranic inscriptions on the inside of the bowl. Inscribed on this bowl are also suggestions that the person inflicted with the disease or bite, does not need to be the one to consume the liquid from the bowl. It could be taken by somebody around or associated to the inflicted person, but it does not mention how the magic is transferred to the person in need of help. This specific bowl was also used for barakah when the bowl was filled with water and sat overnight to absorb healing powers.

Pseudo-Aristotelian Hermetica

The Pseudo-Aristotelian Hermetica, a series of closely related Arabic texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus and perhaps dating to the ninth century CE, explores the concept of ruhaniyyat, i.e., angels from the spiritual realm in the natural world, and how an individual can gain access to those forces. Text between Alexander the Great and Aristotle explores a variety of instructions of how to harness these spiritual forces through talismans, concoctions, amulets, and more that are each used for a designated purpose. Some instructions include placing a carved stone on top of a ring that is then placed on a dead black ram when Mars is in a specific degree of Scorpio and the moon is in Cancer. The dates of these texts are unknown; however, they were the basis of many mystical practices in the Islamic medieval world. The Pseudo-Aristotelian text Sirr al-Asrar offers more instructions, specifically with the "kings' talisman" which keeps harm away. It states that when there are certain astrological marks, a ruby red stone should be carved on a Thursday with a man with wings and a crown riding a lion with a flag, while six other hairless men bow under his hands. This should then be burned in an extensive ritual; afterwards, a ruhaniyyat will visit the practitioner in their dreams stating that the ritual was successful, and from there, the practitioner will repel snakes and scorpions.

Examples

The talisman of Catherine de Medici

Famous is the talisman of Catherine de Medici (1519-1589), married to Henry II (1533), already mother of Francis II (1544-1560). Pierre Béhar thinks he has found the key : the medal bears signs that only appear in the De la philosophie occulte by Henri-Corneille Agrippa de Nettesheim (1533). The talisman was designed, between 1551 (birth of the future Henry III) and 1554, and, according to Ivan Coulas, by Jean Fernel, first physician to Henry II, and follower of occult philosophy. 

The obverse shows a king with an eagle (Jupiter), and his sign (a sort of hourglass, which is a geomantic character of Jupiter); the king faces a woman with a bird's head and eagle's feet and holding an arrow (Venus), we read Anael (name of the angel of Venus, still in Agrippa, III, 24); the magical function of this obverse is to favor love between Henry II and his wife Catherine de Medici. The reverse shows an image of Venus taken from Agrippa (II, 42), with her sign, the cross surmounted by a circle, and a name, Haniel, name of the angel of Venus (II, 22), and another name, Asmodel, which presides over the sign of Taurus, and therefore corresponds to Venus; the theme here is therefore the beneficial influence of Jupiter (power, male dynasty) captured and preserved by Venus. In Hebrew, the obverse reads: "Appear to me, O God" (Darag Ni El), "Give me, I beseech you, strength" (Fara Na Heil)...; on the reverse: "Grant me your miraculous virtues" (Hipes piliah), "Protect my husband from the foreign woman" (Nechar Hofer Baal)...

Zulfiqar

Zulfiqar, the magical sword of Ali, was frequently depicted on Ottoman flags, especially as used by the Janissary cavalry, in the 16th and 17th centuries.

This version of the complete prayer of Zulfiqar is also frequently invoked in talismans of the Qizilbash warriors:

"Leader of men-at-arms,

The lion of Yazdan (a name of God in Persian language),

Might by the most high (God),

There is no man like Ali;

No sword like Zulfiqar.

A record of Live like Ali, die like Hussein as part of a longer talismanic inscription was published by Tewfik Canaan in The Decipherment of Persian and sometimes Arabic Talismans (1938).

Seal of Solomon

The Seal of Solomon, also known as the interlaced triangle, is another ancient talisman and amulet that has been commonly used in several religions. Reputed to be the emblem by which King Solomon ruled the Genii, it could not have originated with him. Its use has been traced in different cultures long before the Jewish Dispensation. As a talisman it was believed to be all-powerful, the ideal symbol of the absolute, and was worn for protection against all fatalities, threats, and trouble, and to protect its wearer from all evil. In its constitution, the triangle with its apex upwards represents good, and with the inverted triangle, evil.

The triangle with its apex up was typical of the Trinity, figures that occur in several religions. In India, China and Japan, its three angles represent Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, who are considered in Hindu doctrine as the Creator, Preserver, and the Destroyer respectively. In ancient Egypt, it represented the deities Osiris, Isis and Horus. In Christianity, it represented the Holy Trinity. As a whole it stands for the elements of fire and spirit, composed of the three virtues (love, truth, and wisdom). The triangle with its apex downward symbolized the element of water, and typified the material world, or the three enemies of the soul: the world, the flesh, and the Devil, and the cardinal sins, envy, hatred and malice. Therefore, the two triangles interlaced represent the victory of spirit over matter. The early cultures that contributed to Western civilization believed that the Seal of Solomon was an all-powerful talisman and amulet, especially when used with either a Cross of Tau, the Hebrew Yodh, or the Egyptian Crux Ansata in the center.

Talismanic shirts

Talismanic shirts are found throughout the Islamic world. The earliest surviving examples date from the 15th century, but the tradition is thought to pre-date that. The shirts may be inscribed with verses from Quran or names of Allah and of prophets. They may also carry images of holy sites or astrological symbols. The inscribed names are believed to offer protection and guidance to the carrier. Talismanic shirts were worn to protect against many evils; many were made to be worn under armour as an additional form of protection.

Swastika

The swastika, one of the oldest and most widespread talismans known, can be traced to the Stone Age, and has been found incised on stone implements of this era. It can be found in all parts of the Old and New Worlds, and on the most prehistoric ruins and remnants. In spite of the assertion by some writers that it was used by the Egyptians, there is little evidence to suggest they used it and it has not been found among their remains.

Both forms, with arms turned to the left and to the right, seem equally common. On the stone walls of the Buddhist caves of India, which feature many of the symbols, arms are often turned both ways in the same inscription.

Talismans in architecture

Uraniborg

The Renaissance scientific building Uraniborg has been interpreted as an astrological talisman to support the work and health of scholars working inside it, designed using Marsilio Ficino's theorized mechanism for astrological influence. Length ratios that the designer, the astrologer and alchemist Tycho Brahe, worked into the building and its gardens match those that Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa associated with Jupiter and the sun. This choice would have counteracted the believed tendency of scholars to be phlegmatic, melancholy and overly influenced by the planet Saturn.

The Serpent's Gate in the Citadel of Aleppo

The Serpent's Gate is a gate in the Aleppo Citadel that contains a talismanic relief depicting two serpents. The serpents are biting their own bodies and encircling stars. The serpents are believed to have protective powers against the enemies of the citadel.

Bab Al-Talsim

Bab al-Talsim, or the Talisman Gate, was a gate in Baghdad known for its talismanic inscriptions. The gate depicts two knotted serpents who are being held by a seated figure who is believed to be the Caliph. Just like the Serpent's Gate, the serpents are supposed to give protection against their enemies.

Sourced from Wikipedia