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Details of object number: J/239
Object name:Charivari
Collection:Jagd
Description:Charivari chain in silver. Chain length 25.5 cm. Diameter of links 1.5 cm. with eight pendants: boar’s tooth, roe deer antler, chamois horn, sow’s tooth, ox ear, lynx ear, lynx toe, thaler of St George. (s. georgius equitum (?) patronus f.)
Hist. crit. notes:It is held in the Museum of Hunting and Fishing at Wolfsthurn Castle in Mareit/Mareta, a branch of the South Tyrolean Folklore Museum.
Charivari are amulets made up of several parts. Possessing such animal amulets allows the wearer to share in the power of the respective animals – strength, courage, speed, fertility or cunning in hunting, i.e. characteristics attributed to the animals, are said to serve as “magical armour” for the amulet wearer. A marten’s paw, for example, is said to transmit boldness; tooth amulets supposedly protect the wearer against harmful spirits and the evil eye; while wolf’s teeth help guard against epilepsy and are said to bring good luck in games.
Charivari are amulets made up of several parts. Possessing such animal amulets allows the wearer to share in the power of the respective animals – strength, courage, speed, fertility or cunning in hunting, i.e. characteristics attributed to the animals, are said to serve as “magical armour” for the amulet wearer. A marten’s paw, for example, is said to transmit boldness; tooth amulets supposedly protect the wearer against harmful spirits and the evil eye; while wolf’s teeth help guard against epilepsy and are said to bring good luck in games.
Institution:South Tyrol Museum of Ethnography