Bone worn as charm against cramp.

Collection type: Object
Description: Bone worn as charm against cramp.
Geographical reference: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Europe > Northern Europe > United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; England
Cultural groups: English
Person: Maker Unknown Maker; Field collector Edward Burnett Tylor; PRM source Anna Rebecca Tylor
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1917
Date collected: By 1917
Acquisition information: Donated: 1917
Materials and processes: Material Sheep Bone Animal
Dimensions: Length: max 28 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1917.53.605
Associated publications: Mentioned in Ellen Ettlinger, Folklorevol 54, no. 1, (March 1943) pp 227-249, 'In the Pitt Rivers Museum there are furthermore two amulets made from parts of animals: ... (2) Two knuckle bones of sheep "which have once been regarded as cramp bones." If the prescription of folk medicine were obeyed, they must have been carried as near the skin as possible and laid at night beneath the patient's pillow. Besides, the rule stated by F.T. Elworthy that cramp bones must never touch the ground or their virtue is lost, has perhaps been observed. [W.G. Black, Folk Medicine (London 1883) p 156; The Evil Eye (London 1895) p 437]' [p237]

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