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2010.46.22

Silver amulet in the form of a half moon with face, protection against the evil eye. [FB 24/01/2012]

2010.46.22

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Collection type
Object
Description
Silver amulet in the form of a half moon with face, protection against the evil eye. [FB 24/01/2012]
Long description
Silver amulet in the form of a half moon with face, protection against the evil eye. The amulet has a metal circular hole at the top to be worn on a pendant. The half moon is facing to the right. The back of the amulet is plain. [FB 24/01/2012]
Geographical reference
Italy
Europe > Southern Europe > Italy
Naples Napoli
Cultural groups
Italian
Person
Field collector Eustace Neville-Rolfe
PRM source Veronica Berry
PRM source Patrick Higham
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1880
Date collected
between 1880 - 1900
Acquisition information
Bequeathed: 05/07/2010
Materials and processes
Material Silver Metal, Process Incised, Process Moulded, Process Cast, Process Struck
Dimensions
Length x Width: max 43 x 24 mm, Weight 5.15 g
Object numbers
Accession number: 2010.46.22 Other numbers: 8b
Research and responses

See 'Neapolitan Charms Against the Evil Eye' by Veronica Berry in Folklore, vo.79, No. 4 (Winter 1968), pp. 250 - 256: " Waning, waxing and full moons, embellished with a masculine face, are common amulets (the origin perhaps of the man in the moon?). Old and new moons (Fig. 1E & F) with their menacing 'horned' aspect were considered more effective against the Evil Eye then the more benevolent full moon. The horned crescent moon is a symbol of Diana, in her aspect as Queen of Heaven. Horses were dedicated to the moon because of their hooves made the mark of a crescent, thus giving rise to the belief that the horseshoe was also a 'lucky' emblem..." [FB 24/01/2012]

and 'The Evil Eye An Account of this Ancient and Widespread Superstition' by Fredrick Thomas Elworthy (1895) [FB 24/01/2012]

See Eustace Neville-Rolfe, Naples in 1888, Trübner, 1888. [FB 24/01/2012]

See Eustace Neville-Rolfe, Naples in the Nineties a sequel to Naples in 1888, Adam and Chas. Black, London, 1897: p.53 "Diana, in her capacity of goddess of heaven, is always represented with the crescent moon on her head, and this again is frequently as a boar's tusk, to unite the emblems of the goddess of the heaven with that of the presiding genius of the chase..." [FB 25/01/2012]

Eustace Neville-Rolfe lived in Naples between 1880 and 1900 and was an enthusiastic researcher and collector of amulets against the evil eye. He first loaned artefacts to PRM in 1892 (including a lemon stuck with nails which is now on display) and subsequently in 1893, 1903 and 1908. Rofle was consul in Naples, he was part of a network of amulet specialists including many whose collections are now at PRM (AE Gunther and Elworthy in particular as well as Balfour). [FB 24/01/2012]

Search terms: Religion, Ornament, Figure, Amulet, Pendant

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