Amulet Atlas

Amulet AtlasWhat it stops

736 claims, each one belonging to somebody. Every row names who said it and links the source. Whether a charm works is not a question this page answers. One row per claim, never per charm. A charm said to stop three things appears three times.

Bad luck, unspecified90 claimsIllness83 claimsThe evil eye67 claimsGhosts and hungry spirits50 claimsDemons and night-hags43 claimsHarm to a house or a field40 claimsAnother person's sorcery39 claimsHarm to a child39 claimsInfertility30 claimsDanger to the dead26 claimsAttracting custom, luck or love25 claimsBlades and bullets25 claimsDanger on a journey19 claimsA curse already laid18 claimsDeath in childbirth18 claimsPoverty18 claimsWar17 claimsFailing an exam11 claimsHarm to livestock11 claimsA road accident9 claimsTheft9 claimsEnvy8 claimsA court case or an official7 claimsDrowning and storm at sea7 claimsGoing unloved7 claimsFire6 claimsSnakes and scorpions6 claimsFever and plague5 claimsDangerous animals3 claims

Harm against region

A blank cell is a blank — no record here makes that claim in that region. It is not a zero dressed up as a finding.

Ancient EgyptBritain IrelandRome ItalyJapanChinaLevantSouth AsiaWest AfricaMainland SeaWorldGreece AegeanAnatoliaMesopotamiaNorth AmericaBad luck, unspecifiedBad luck, unspecified × Ancient Egypt — 2Bad luck, unspecified × Britain Ireland — 7Bad luck, unspecified × Rome Italy — 7Bad luck, unspecified × Japan — 11Bad luck, unspecified × China — 6Bad luck, unspecified × Levant — 3Bad luck, unspecified × South Asia — 9Bad luck, unspecified × West Africa — 7Bad luck, unspecified × Mainland Sea — 3Bad luck, unspecified × World — 5Bad luck, unspecified × Greece Aegean — 1Bad luck, unspecified × Anatolia — 4Bad luck, unspecified × Mesopotamia — 0Bad luck, unspecified × North America — 7IllnessIllness × Ancient Egypt — 12Illness × Britain Ireland — 2Illness × Rome Italy — 2Illness × Japan — 4Illness × China — 4Illness × Levant — 7Illness × South Asia — 6Illness × West Africa — 4Illness × Mainland Sea — 5Illness × World — 5Illness × Greece Aegean — 3Illness × Anatolia — 3Illness × Mesopotamia — 3Illness × North America — 1The evil eyeThe evil eye × Ancient Egypt — 3The evil eye × Britain Ireland — 5The evil eye × Rome Italy — 13The evil eye × Japan — 2The evil eye × China — 2The evil eye × Levant — 7The evil eye × South Asia — 5The evil eye × West Africa — 1The evil eye × Mainland Sea — 0The evil eye × World — 2The evil eye × Greece Aegean — 2The evil eye × Anatolia — 6The evil eye × Mesopotamia — 2The evil eye × North America — 0Ghosts and hungry spiritsGhosts and hungry spirits × Ancient Egypt — 3Ghosts and hungry spirits × Britain Ireland — 10Ghosts and hungry spirits × Rome Italy — 3Ghosts and hungry spirits × Japan — 4Ghosts and hungry spirits × China — 8Ghosts and hungry spirits × Levant — 2Ghosts and hungry spirits × South Asia — 1Ghosts and hungry spirits × West Africa — 1Ghosts and hungry spirits × Mainland Sea — 2Ghosts and hungry spirits × World — 1Ghosts and hungry spirits × Greece Aegean — 0Ghosts and hungry spirits × Anatolia — 0Ghosts and hungry spirits × Mesopotamia — 0Ghosts and hungry spirits × North America — 0Demons and night-hagsDemons and night-hags × Ancient Egypt — 3Demons and night-hags × Britain Ireland — 6Demons and night-hags × Rome Italy — 2Demons and night-hags × Japan — 2Demons and night-hags × China — 3Demons and night-hags × Levant — 8Demons and night-hags × South Asia — 4Demons and night-hags × West Africa — 1Demons and night-hags × Mainland Sea — 0Demons and night-hags × World — 2Demons and night-hags × Greece Aegean — 0Demons and night-hags × Anatolia — 1Demons and night-hags × Mesopotamia — 5Demons and night-hags × North America — 0Harm to a house or a fieldHarm to a house or a field × Ancient Egypt — 2Harm to a house or a field × Britain Ireland — 7Harm to a house or a field × Rome Italy — 3Harm to a house or a field × Japan — 4Harm to a house or a field × China — 3Harm to a house or a field × Levant — 5Harm to a house or a field × South Asia — 1Harm to a house or a field × West Africa — 0Harm to a house or a field × Mainland Sea — 0Harm to a house or a field × World — 2Harm to a house or a field × Greece Aegean — 2Harm to a house or a field × Anatolia — 0Harm to a house or a field × Mesopotamia — 2Harm to a house or a field × North America — 2Another person's sorceryAnother person's sorcery × Ancient Egypt — 3Another person's sorcery × Britain Ireland — 8Another person's sorcery × Rome Italy — 5Another person's sorcery × Japan — 4Another person's sorcery × China — 1Another person's sorcery × Levant — 3Another person's sorcery × South Asia — 0Another person's sorcery × West Africa — 1Another person's sorcery × Mainland Sea — 3Another person's sorcery × World — 0Another person's sorcery × Greece Aegean — 2Another person's sorcery × Anatolia — 1Another person's sorcery × Mesopotamia — 0Another person's sorcery × North America — 2Harm to a childHarm to a child × Ancient Egypt — 6Harm to a child × Britain Ireland — 2Harm to a child × Rome Italy — 9Harm to a child × Japan — 1Harm to a child × China — 1Harm to a child × Levant — 1Harm to a child × South Asia — 2Harm to a child × West Africa — 0Harm to a child × Mainland Sea — 0Harm to a child × World — 1Harm to a child × Greece Aegean — 1Harm to a child × Anatolia — 1Harm to a child × Mesopotamia — 3Harm to a child × North America — 1InfertilityInfertility × Ancient Egypt — 4Infertility × Britain Ireland — 2Infertility × Rome Italy — 2Infertility × Japan — 1Infertility × China — 1Infertility × Levant — 0Infertility × South Asia — 1Infertility × West Africa — 6Infertility × Mainland Sea — 1Infertility × World — 0Infertility × Greece Aegean — 0Infertility × Anatolia — 1Infertility × Mesopotamia — 0Infertility × North America — 0Danger to the deadDanger to the dead × Ancient Egypt — 11Danger to the dead × Britain Ireland — 0Danger to the dead × Rome Italy — 0Danger to the dead × Japan — 0Danger to the dead × China — 3Danger to the dead × Levant — 2Danger to the dead × South Asia — 0Danger to the dead × West Africa — 2Danger to the dead × Mainland Sea — 0Danger to the dead × World — 1Danger to the dead × Greece Aegean — 2Danger to the dead × Anatolia — 0Danger to the dead × Mesopotamia — 0Danger to the dead × North America — 0Attracting custom, luck or loveAttracting custom, luck or love × Ancient Egypt — 2Attracting custom, luck or love × Britain Ireland — 0Attracting custom, luck or love × Rome Italy — 0Attracting custom, luck or love × Japan — 4Attracting custom, luck or love × China — 2Attracting custom, luck or love × Levant — 0Attracting custom, luck or love × South Asia — 2Attracting custom, luck or love × West Africa — 1Attracting custom, luck or love × Mainland Sea — 5Attracting custom, luck or love × World — 0Attracting custom, luck or love × Greece Aegean — 2Attracting custom, luck or love × Anatolia — 0Attracting custom, luck or love × Mesopotamia — 0Attracting custom, luck or love × North America — 1Blades and bulletsBlades and bullets × Ancient Egypt — 1Blades and bullets × Britain Ireland — 1Blades and bullets × Rome Italy — 0Blades and bullets × Japan — 1Blades and bullets × China — 1Blades and bullets × Levant — 1Blades and bullets × South Asia — 1Blades and bullets × West Africa — 1Blades and bullets × Mainland Sea — 7Blades and bullets × World — 2Blades and bullets × Greece Aegean — 1Blades and bullets × Anatolia — 2Blades and bullets × Mesopotamia — 0Blades and bullets × North America — 1Danger on a journeyDanger on a journey × Ancient Egypt — 0Danger on a journey × Britain Ireland — 1Danger on a journey × Rome Italy — 1Danger on a journey × Japan — 0Danger on a journey × China — 2Danger on a journey × Levant — 1Danger on a journey × South Asia — 1Danger on a journey × West Africa — 2Danger on a journey × Mainland Sea — 1Danger on a journey × World — 0Danger on a journey × Greece Aegean — 0Danger on a journey × Anatolia — 0Danger on a journey × Mesopotamia — 0Danger on a journey × North America — 0A curse already laidA curse already laid × Ancient Egypt — 2A curse already laid × Britain Ireland — 2A curse already laid × Rome Italy — 0A curse already laid × Japan — 0A curse already laid × China — 0A curse already laid × Levant — 0A curse already laid × South Asia — 0A curse already laid × West Africa — 2A curse already laid × Mainland Sea — 0A curse already laid × World — 4A curse already laid × Greece Aegean — 1A curse already laid × Anatolia — 0A curse already laid × Mesopotamia — 1A curse already laid × North America — 1Death in childbirthDeath in childbirth × Ancient Egypt — 3Death in childbirth × Britain Ireland — 0Death in childbirth × Rome Italy — 2Death in childbirth × Japan — 2Death in childbirth × China — 2Death in childbirth × Levant — 0Death in childbirth × South Asia — 0Death in childbirth × West Africa — 1Death in childbirth × Mainland Sea — 1Death in childbirth × World — 0Death in childbirth × Greece Aegean — 0Death in childbirth × Anatolia — 1Death in childbirth × Mesopotamia — 4Death in childbirth × North America — 0PovertyPoverty × Ancient Egypt — 1Poverty × Britain Ireland — 0Poverty × Rome Italy — 0Poverty × Japan — 2Poverty × China — 1Poverty × Levant — 0Poverty × South Asia — 2Poverty × West Africa — 2Poverty × Mainland Sea — 2Poverty × World — 1Poverty × Greece Aegean — 0Poverty × Anatolia — 0Poverty × Mesopotamia — 0Poverty × North America — 1WarWar × Ancient Egypt — 2War × Britain Ireland — 0War × Rome Italy — 1War × Japan — 1War × China — 1War × Levant — 3War × South Asia — 1War × West Africa — 1War × Mainland Sea — 2War × World — 0War × Greece Aegean — 0War × Anatolia — 2War × Mesopotamia — 0War × North America — 0Failing an examFailing an exam × Ancient Egypt — 0Failing an exam × Britain Ireland — 0Failing an exam × Rome Italy — 0Failing an exam × Japan — 8Failing an exam × China — 2Failing an exam × Levant — 0Failing an exam × South Asia — 0Failing an exam × West Africa — 0Failing an exam × Mainland Sea — 0Failing an exam × World — 0Failing an exam × Greece Aegean — 0Failing an exam × Anatolia — 0Failing an exam × Mesopotamia — 0Failing an exam × North America — 0

Where each worry is documented

Bad luck, unspecified 90
Illness 83
The evil eye 67
Ghosts and hungry spirits 50
Demons and night-hags 43
Harm to a house or a field 40
Another person's sorcery 39
Harm to a child 39
Infertility 30
Danger to the dead 26
Attracting custom, luck or love 25
Blades and bullets 25

Every claim, by what it answers

Bad luck, unspecified (90)

Illness (83)

sickness in general, where no cause is named

The evil eye (67)

harm carried by a look, often an admiring one

Ghosts and hungry spirits (50)

Demons and night-hags (43)

Harm to a house or a field (40)

Another person's sorcery (39)

Harm to a child (39)

harm to an infant or a small child; common across the atlas, though not the largest class in it — see /story/most-of-them-are-for-children/

Infertility (30)

Danger to the dead (26)

charms put in a grave for the person in it

Attracting custom, luck or love (25)

the charm that pulls rather than blocks

Blades and bullets (25)

invulnerability charms; reported, never recommended

Danger on a journey (19)

A curse already laid (18)

Death in childbirth (18)

Poverty (18)

War (17)

Failing an exam (11)

a whole modern genre, Japan and Korea especially

Harm to livestock (11)

A road accident (9)

the modern descendant of the travel charm

Theft (9)

Envy (8)

a neighbour's ill will, named as such

A court case or an official (7)

Drowning and storm at sea (7)

Going unloved (7)

Fire (6)

Snakes and scorpions (6)

Fever and plague (5)

Dangerous animals (3)

Dot colour is the provenance tier of the claim: a named source, general knowledge of the practice, or this project's own reasoning. The table behind this page is against.json.

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