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Charm bracelet made between 1800-1900 crafted
from gold, enamel, hardstone, glass, and photos.
courtesy of the V&A Museum.

Charmed, I’m Sure

Big dreams, Love, and Luck
come in small packages.

by Judy Gonyeau, managing editor

vidence has been brought to light that Amuletic Pendant from the Byzantine
Reproduction of an charms were perhaps first formed as Empire with the inscription,
Ancient Scarab Gold Efar back as 75,000 years ago according “[The] one God overcomes the evil,”
Talisman Necklace to the discovery in Africa of shells being used for 5th century.
selling for $195 adornments. Moving forward to 30,000 years ago, photo via the Walters Art Museum
at commonera.com intricately carved mammoth tusk charms were messages at hand and at heart. At
found in Germany. times of war men would often
Back in 10,000 B.C., leather bracelets and cords carry a lock of their wife’s hair
were adorned with pieces of bone, shell, and wood that and other such trinkets as a
represented any number of things to their maker and the reminder, and also for good luck.
wearer. During the Bronze Age, charms were crafted to Toward the middle ages,
look like mystical symbols, animals, and special words to charms were also used as a form
ward off evil and bring good luck. These are perhaps related of identification by using images
to the first meaning of the word “charm.” It was a synonym for and symbols representing their
“song” or “incantation.” Anthropologists think the people background, heritage, political
of that time used charm bracelets as a way to connect to affiliation, and religion. Knights
the mystics and look favorable to the gods. Charms also would wear them into battle for
served to identify Egyptians to the gods in the afterlife. good luck and to bring the luck
One of the first documented examples of using of their families with them. They
charms to represent something about the person were most often used with incan-
wearing it is from the Roman Empire. Christians would tations to send bad luck to the enemy and protect warriors in battle.
wear the ichthys (fish) charm to identify themselves to The general wearing of charms began to lose favor with the wealthy
other Christians. The choice of using a fish came from classes during the Renaissance as books became more commonplace,
the Biblical story of Jesus feeding the five thousand of his separating the superstitious from fact-based beliefs. However, charms
followers when he had only two loaves of bread and two fish. and amulets were still widely used by people of lesser means and edu-
Jewish scholars of the same period would write tiny passages of Jewish cation. The role of the charm remained relatively unchanged until the
law and put them in amulets around their necks to keep the law close early 1900s.
to their heart at all times because of a belief that if the information were
stored close to the heart and Victoriana
mind then the body would It was Queen Victoria who
better absorb it. could well be considered the
But when it comes to Queen of charm bracelets
charm bracelets, the first were because it was she who intro-
worn by Assyrians, Babylon- duced a “new” charm – a
ians, Persians, and Hittites. charm of remembrance to
They began appearing from mark milestones in life. This
600 – 400 BC. Lockets were was something the monarch
used to keep important could wear and subtly show
the things that were dear to
At right, Etruscan bulla depicting her. She had more than one to
Icarus. Roman bullae were enigmatic
objects of lead, sometimes covered in suit her mood and her status.
gold foil, if the family could afford it. One charm bracelet (right)
A bulla was worn around the neck as was given to the Queen by the
a locket to protect against evil spirits love of her life, Prince Albert,
and forces. Bullae were made of dif- with one heart locket for each
fering substances depending upon the child they had, adding to it
wealth of the family. over the years.

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