Linking The Divine To Earthliness - Lucky Charms, Amulets, And King Solomon Seals

The name “Cameo" was first mentioned in the Jerusalemite Talmud, in tractate of Sabbath chapter 36, paragraph 71. ; The name “Cameo” indicates a means of connecting the body with an object, such as “Tefillin”.

Cameo names are variable in different cultures. However - in most cases, the cameo functions as an object that attributes luck, success, cure, as well as a remedy against evil eye, bad spells, black magic, etc. The cameo is most effective while being held close to the person, either in the pocket, around the neck or inside the house.

History researches have concluded that the cameos were used in different cultures as early as the iron and Neolithic periods. The cameo is one of the most important artifacts in human history. It was used in religious rituals of the Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Buddhists, Arabs, Indians and Hebrews. Ancient Egyptian leaders used to wear the cameo regularly on their necks. These traditions are still in use at modern times as amulets and charms are still in vast use today. According to the researchers, most of the cameos found in caves from the prehistoric periods were ordained against the evil eye.

The cameo has a special power to give its owner a sense of protection.
For example: The cameo was a necessity among the Turkish warriors who never departed from their cameo in the battlefield, even for a split of a moment. Another example is taken from the Sumo wrestling tradition, where the wrestler carries the cameo inside the diaper on his groin.

In Middle Eastern countries, the cameo serves women as well. Pregnant women do not depart from their cameo throughout their pregnancy.

Along history, cameos were elaborated and used as jewelry. The most famous cameo in history, for example, was the Pharaoh Beetle, which was an emblem dedicated to RA, God of the Sun.
According to the ancient Egyptian faith, the litter beetle was a symbol for universal creation and divinity. According to the Jewish Kabbalah, this beetle was a symbol of infinity .The Egyptian cross “Anah” with the ring around its head, was a sacred cameo like the beetle, and similarly represented the power of eternity.

In Christianity, the crucifix played a major role as a cameo. Since middle ages, Kabbalah was the inspiration to creating cameos which contained angel’s names or names related to God. Kabbalah and the use of the Hebrew letters have also influenced Christian mysticism.

The Many Faces of the Cameo:

Cameos are divided into two main categories:
One type serves as jewelry, and the other is based on virtue writing, and contain ancient scripts, angel writing and King Solomon seals. The cameos that appeared later in history were considered as giving powers or solving problems to those who carried them. In Egypt, the belief was that carrying a snake’s skin was a virtue for medicine, probably because snake’s slough symbolized rebirth and was associated with cure. Marteseger, the Egyptian snake goddess was considered as the guardian of the Kings Valley. A women who could not conceive knelt in front of her image or sculpture for blessing.
The symbol of Aesculapius, the Roman Medicine God was a snake wrapped around a bed.
Among Indian tribes, the American snake is associated with lighting and thunder. The snake rod served the Indians in rituals to bring rain and ensure plentiful harvest.

Apart from the snake, another fertility symbol is the fig leaf that serves as virtue for men or women who suffer of sterility. A blue cloth serves as virtue for the birth of a boy and a red cloth, as a virtue for the birth of a girl. As we can see, a certain color was also a virtue for protection. In Arab traditions, the blue color is used to drive ghosts and demons away.

The use of the blue color is also present in the Arab symbol known as “Hamsa” (also called “Hand of God”), and as components of plant and spices packages.
Different plants have also inspired the infusion of protection symbols. Some religions used garlic to scare away demons and evil eye.

Unlike other religions, Judaism has made a unique usage of a cameo: the Mezuzah (doorpost). According to the Jewish belief, troubles and sicknesses at home are directly linked to a disqualified, invalid or the absence of a Mezuzah. In certain periods, the Jews used tattoo symbols on their bodies. Religious leaders did not allow these customs, as they related them to pagan witchcraft