This good luck charm would have brought a smile to someone’s face. Members of all the religions of medieval Cairo – Christians, Muslims and Jews – called upon magic and superstition to help with life’s problems: to remove a headache, to detect an adulterous partner, to find treasure, to develop charm and grace, for protection on dangerous voyages, to conceive a child, to avoid conception, to make a difficult child take a bath, for protection against the bite of a dog or scorpion, or to inspire fear in others.

Egypt, 12th century

Arabic, paper

T-S AS 183.272