Exploring the origins of good luck charms: from neolithic stones to horseshoes

Jade elephant good luck charmPhoto byTracy Carbone

Do you have a good luck charm? I carry a small jade elephant my daughter bought me for my birthday. I don’t know if it’s directly responsible for my good fortune but better safe than sorry.

Where and when did the concept of good luck charms start? Magickal explains, “The most powerful good luck charms are objects that protect their wearer from bad luck, evil spirits, or strange influences such as the evil eye. They are usually physical objects…”

lucky dice good luck charmPhoto byNick FewingsonUnsplash

Magickal states that charms date back “to the Neolithic when the primitive hunters and gatherers collected shiny stones with unusual shapes and took them with them to bring them a bit of good luck.”

Much later, but still in the distant past, charms were upgraded to jeweled amulets. The first documented amulets, “go back to the Egypt of the pharaohs, almost 5,000 years ago. These objects not only brought good luck and protected their bearer, but they also identified him after death and served for the gods to guide him to his rightful place in the afterlife.”

Ancient Romans attributed jewels to specific gods and wore pendants they believed, “transmitted the powers of the god corresponding to its bearer and brought good luck.”

What are examples of good luck charms and what are their origins?

four leaf cloverPhoto byAmy ReedonUnsplash

Four leaf clovers: This concept started in Ireland and promises good luck to anyone lucky enough to find a very rare four-leaf clover. This is not an easy task, so when you do spot one, you’re likely to get a burst of joy that may lead to a good, happy day ahead.

blacksmith making a horseshoePhoto byJonathan BeanonUnsplash

Horseshoes: FortuneOne lists many theories out here but my favorite dates back over 1000 years ago, in the tenth century. “Saint Dunstan (924-988) is the patron saint of blacksmiths, goldsmiths, jewellers, locksmiths, musicians and the blind. He was a reformer, statesman, abbot and archbishop of the tenth century in England.” He was also a very talented blacksmith.

One night, “The Devil was hard at work trying to win Saint Dunstan over. On one occasion the Devil asked Saint Dunstan to nail horseshoes on the Devil’s horse. Saint Dunstan pretended to agree to taking on this task. The devil stood close by to make sure Saint Dunstan was true to his word. Saint Dunstan then suddenly grabbed hold of the Devil’s foot/hoof and with strong determination nailed the horseshoe on the foot of the Devil instead of the horse.”

This was a wonderful bit of irony (pun intended) for the devil who screamed and, “begged Saint Dunstan to remove the horseshoe. Saint Dunstan agreed to remove the horseshoe from the Devil’s foot under one condition: the devil was to swear never to enter any house that had a horseshoe hanging by the door. The Devil obliged.”

Why we, in modern times still cling to these superstitions and charms sometimes seems silly but my attitude is, if it’s working, don’t try to fix it.