Armenian amulets

In many ancient countries, including Armenia, various meanings and functions were attributed to some objects and phenomena. People attributed different features to these objects, such as protection from evil or attraction of success. They called these objects amulets. Usually these items were made according to a special ritual and stored in special conditions. All these items are called “Armenian amulets”.

In ancient times, Armenians believed that amulets protected them from disasters, wars and diseases. It is believed that amulets arose at the stage of human development, when there was still no clear distinction between knowledge, reality and imagination.

Before the advent of written prayers, people saw the symbol of protection in pieces of iron, stone or wood. They cut out small pieces of these materials and kept them as their guardian.

This phenomenon has many manifestations both in everyday life and in many ritual ceremonies.

Natural amulets

Amulets are divided into two large groups: natural and handmade. Natural amulets are different elements of flora and fauna. Examples of such amulets are thorns, horns, onion, and garlic. These later became the basis for the creation of handmade amulets made from wood, stone, metal, cotton and so on.

Historians of the 5th century mention that beliefs had supernatural properties. Thorns, fire and iron were considered the means against evil. In ancient Armenia people fought against evil with metal objects, which mainly had sharp edges.

Among them were a needle, a nail, a knife and so on. Even the mention of iron or steel in conversation played a protective role. According to legends, these metals frightened evil spirits. When people wanted to protect their home from evil, they put an iron rod under the front door, believing that it would not allow evil to enter the house. Nails were especially revered. People believed that through nails they could influence the devil. They thought that if they manage to put a nail somewhere, then the devil would obey them and work for them.

A needle was also widely used among Armenian amulets. The Armenians believed that the needle drives away negative energy. In the past, adult women would often attach a needle to their clothing. They also attached a needle to the clothing of a person who was going to travel.

However, the most popular amulet for Armenians was a horseshoe. It was fixed above the front door to protect the house from evil, and so that the house was full of good luck. Armenians asked the horseshoe for protection and health. Good luck and success entered the house from the open corner of the horseshoe. That is why people mostly hung horseshoes with open side up, to collect the blessings coming from above and carry them into the home. When the horseshoe was hung open side down, the amulet was not useful.

Daghdghan

Among the amulets, wooden amulets called daghdghan occupied a large and special place.

Daghdghan was made for both people and animals. There were also special daghdghans that were hung on newborn’s crib or wrist. Daghdghans for houses were bigger. People hung them in a clearly visible place. Daghdghans for newborns looked like a small barrel and resembled beads.

In the old days, it was common to hang daghdghans on the neck or horns of the cattle. People also hung daghdghans on pitchers and pots to protect the crops stored there from rodents and insects.

To make a daghdghan people used the wood of sacred tree. There are villages where daghdghan was made from the roots and trunk of a special tree called viburnum. People believed that this tree protects from evil. No one dared to pluck a single branch or leaf from this tree. Women who did not have children believed that if they walk three times under the branches of the tree, they would have a son.

The most common daghdghans were in the shape of moon and crescent. They have been widespread in Armenian since ancient times. The reason is that in most ancient beliefs people attributed a number of properties to the moon, such as fertility, wealth, healing of diseases. In myths, the moon and the bull are often identified, and the moon is often depicted on the back of a bull.

Daghdghans in the form of triangle and rectangle were also popular. They often were associated with the image of a woman, which is again connected to fertility.

Masters were creating daghdghans in silence or were speaking kind words and blessings in their minds. They believed that if the master gets distracted or has negative thoughts, then this energy and thoughts can be transmitted through daghdghan to the person who will get the amulet.

There are also very rare examples of daghdghans made of stone and metal. Currently, the largest collection of daghdghans is kept in the Museum of Woodcarving.

Amulet beads

When making some amulets, different beads were also added next to the small daghdghans. Beads came in different types. There were beads that healed diseases, beads that protected people who wear them from the evil. In ritual beliefs, stones were considered a symbol of longevity and infinity. In the old days, people wore stones as amulets on their necklaces, belts and cuffs.

One of such amulet stones is quartz. In ancient times, quartz was mainly mined in the territory of Van and Bitlis. In ancient times, Armenians believed that this stone contained a large amount of energy. Therefore, quartz was considered a treasury of supernatural powers. This stone was mainly used to treat liver diseases.

Green stones were usually used to treat eye diseases.

Stones with a bluish hue, such as turquoise and aquamarine, resisted the evil forces and were considered a symbol of wisdom.

Another stone common in the Armenian Highland was lazurite. It was used against demonic possession.

All these stone beads protected from the evil and were called “eye beads”.

Many of these amulets have now lost their meaning and significance. Even if they are used in everyday life, they are mainly used as a decoration. After the adoption of Christianity, prayers replaced all these amulets. Today people protect themselves from all failures and evil forces by prayer. And if the object is given a protective function that drives away evil, then it is given by God.

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