Talisman

Museum number:
9-12071
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21090012071
Accession number:
Acc.2961
Description:
Talisman; Zoroastrian; cast; solid silver in the form of a farohar or guardian spirit--male figure in profile, winged, with hands joined; silver ring on top for wearing around neck on a chain; L. 3 cm., W. 2.5 cm. Made by local metalsmiths, sold by vendors of Parsi religious goods. Worn by Parsis, mostly women and children, as a religious talisman. A farohar or guardian spirit is believed to reside in everything, animate or inanimate, protecting it from decay and enabling it to grow, flourish and prosper.
Donor:
Mrs. Bachi Tata
Collection place:
Mumbai (Bombay), Maharashtra State, India
Culture or time period:
Parsi
Object type:
ethnography
Function:
5.2 Magic: Objects Associated with Practices reflecting confidence in the ability to manipulate supernatural agencies
Accession date:
1972
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Images:
Hearst Museum object titled Talisman, accession number 9-12071, described as Talisman; Zoroastrian; cast; solid silver in the form of a farohar or guardian spirit--male figure in profile, winged, with hands joined; silver ring on top for wearing around neck on a chain; L. 3 cm., W. 2.5 cm. Made by local metalsmiths, sold by vendors of Parsi religious goods. Worn by Parsis, mostly women and children, as a religious talisman. A farohar or guardian spirit is believed to reside in everything, animate or inanimate, protecting it from decay and enabling it to grow, flourish and prosper.
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Talisman, accession number 9-12071, described as Talisman; Zoroastrian; cast; solid silver in the form of a farohar or guardian spirit--male figure in profile, winged, with hands joined; silver ring on top for wearing around neck on a chain; L. 3 cm., W. 2.5 cm. Made by local metalsmiths, sold by vendors of Parsi religious goods. Worn by Parsis, mostly women and children, as a religious talisman. A farohar or guardian spirit is believed to reside in everything, animate or inanimate, protecting it from decay and enabling it to grow, flourish and prosper.

Tools