Many of the stones were simply signets for rings, and derived their virtue merely from their material—red carnelian or blood-stone. These signets, however, not unfrequently were engraved with stars or a branch of mystic import, besides the Arabic name of the bearer. The talismans, pure and simple, are generally to be distinguished from simple seals by the writing not being reversed. To obtain such stones was naturally difficult, but I secured one, a red carnelian, engraved with the cabalistic words ‘Excellence belongs to God,’ and another mysterious charm—a blood-stone with monogrammatic spells which no Arabian scholar has yet been able to decipher for me—arranged in a Solomon’s seal. Ami Boué, who was struck with the number of charms used by the Mahometans of these parts, notices among the inscriptions on them, ‘the servant of God,’ ‘I trust in God.’ Many curious parallels might be cited among the posies of old English rings.
It is interesting to notice the repute in which the blood-stone is held here for these sigils and talismans. Those who are familiar with Gnostic gems will remember how often this stone, as well as the carnelian, appears engraved with the names of Iao, or Abrasax, or others of that mysterious race of genii. I have myself seen several Gnostic gems of this character from the Roman sites of the Illyrian coast land, and indeed cannot refrain from hinting a suspicion that there may be something more than a chance connection between the abundance of such charms in ancient and in modern Illyria.[262] Those who recognize how much the Mahometan Sclaves of Bosnia have preserved of their earlier Christian superstitions will hardly think it improbable that part at least of their wide-spread belief in the potency of such charms may be an inheritance from Præ-Turkish times.
To answer such questions with confidence more evidence is needed. This, however, is certain, that the present abundance of such charms in Bosnia is partly due to geological causes, being favoured by the presence of stones adapted for the manufacture, in some of the Illyrian valleys. We saw many such stones vended on the bridges of Serajevo by itinerant pedlars—an abundance of rudely cut carnelians, blood-stones, amethysts, agates, and rock crystals—intended not only for sigils and amulets, but also for purposes purely ornamental. It was the abundance of such stones that made Illyria—as I hope to point out later on—the seat of a regular manufacture of Roman gems. These seem to be found in considerable abundance on all Roman sites in Illyria; and even in Serajevo, where there are no remains of Roman habitation beyond a solitary votive inscription to the Thunderer,[263] we noticed several classic gems scattered among more modern talismans and signets. One which I succeeded in purchasing is a masterpiece of ancient art. The stone is a sard of a deep red colour, on which is engraved a faun holding an amphora on his shoulder; the proportions are perfect, and the whole so exquisitely engraved, that not a flaw in the execution can be detected even with the aid of a strong magnifying-glass.
The Prince of the Isles of the children of Khaledan was not more troubled when the bird of ill-omen snatched the blood-red carnelian of Badoura from his grasp, than is a Bosniac who has lost or broken his talisman. At Jablanica, in the valley of the Narenta, we heard of a Turk who a few days before had broken his amulet-ring. The poor man’s terror was piteous to see, and fearing that the injury to his charm portended that some terrible misfortune would overtake him, or that at least his hours were numbered, he immediately set out on a ten hours’ journey to Mostar, that the injury might be repaired by cunning artificers.
Not that this belief in charms is by any means confined to the Moslems of Bosnia. The Christians are equally given to it, and I saw some cabalistic gems with crosses and inscriptions in Cyrillian characters. The sale of amulets and charms, written on small slips of paper, is in fact a regular source of income to the Franciscan monks of this country, so much so that they no longer take the trouble to write their spells, but have called in the invention of printing to aid the Black Art! ‘At the present day,’ writes M. Yriarte, ‘it is no secret that the printing of these little cards is a recognised branch of industry with certain typographic establishments at Agram and Zara.’[264] The spells consist of verses of Scripture disposed in the same cabalistic fashion as verses of the Koràn among the native Mahometans; they are folded in the shape of a hat and suspended in a small wallet round the neck of the rayah, who looks to his purchase for protection against the Evil Eye and infernal spirits! If the Franciscan monks take a leaf from the Koràn, the Moslems on their part return the compliment; and it is not the least curious trace of the lurking penchant for the faith of their fathers betrayed by some of the descendants of the Bosnian renegades, that at times Mahometans have been known to send their amulets to the Franciscan monks that their blessing might lend an additional potency to the charm.
Among the Mahometans here scrolls containing verses from the Koràn are a very favourite amulet, and the modern Bosniacs show themselves as prone as the Pharisees of old ‘to enlarge their phylacteries.’ Sometimes these sacred excerpts are sewn into the dress, sometimes hung round the neck, or attached to the arm. One of our Zaptiehs showed us his, enclosed in a leathern case, in much the same manner as in a specimen which I have seen from Egypt. This was fastened round the upper part of his arm—a thoroughly Eastern mode of wearing amulets—if I may be allowed once more to call in evidence Prince Camaralzaman, who, on recovering dear Badoura’s carnelian, ‘having first kissed the talisman, wrapped it up in a ribbon, and tied it carefully about his arm.’
But of periapts those that took our fancy most, and of which we took care to lay in a goodly store for our own use, were certain necklaces or amulets from which were suspended carnelian arrowheads. Of these there was a regular traffic, and we saw large bunches of them hung up for sale in the larger bezestan; on enquiring their use, the merchant who sold them informed me that they were a most valuable and potent charm against skin diseases—in an Oriental city not an unimportant consideration—and insinuated, as a minor attraction, that if I wore them I need never be afraid of warts. I have seen exactly similar charms in Bulgaria, and others from Arabia, which are worn by the Arabs ‘as good for the blood’—so that their cutaneous virtues are widely appreciated. The Serajevan merchant said that they were imported from India—and, indeed, the Ganges may almost be said to have flowed into the Save! But the miniature arrowheads of these amulets command as high an interest from their form as from their Indian origin; and the sanctity with which superstition has invested what was once the everyday weapon of mankind, is one of the many proofs of the antiquity of that Stone Age which preceded the period when Bronze was the only metal known to mankind, and, at a remoter distance, this blessed Age of Iron.
Arrowhead Charms.