Showcase K: Folk Medicine

1. Incantation bowl, Jewish-Babylonian: The
Aramaic text is supposed to provide divine
protection and healing for the households,
c. 7th century.
a. A Tibetan 18th century invocation-healing
bowl of the White Tara (Sitatārā) that is a
female Buddha, seated on a white lotus and
known also as “seven-eyed.” She is famed for
healing, long life, compassion, and serenity.
2. Typical Islamic incantation bowls (“fear
bowls”) dated 1720. The owner’s name is
Kabalanni Hasan. Text from the Quran and
different names of God and magic words are
engraved.
3. Two typical Islamic and Bedouin incantation
bowls: The dervish (Bedouin healer) puts
the water-filled bowl outside the patient’s tent
on a starry night, allowing the magic to infuse
the water. Drinking the blessed water will cure
illnesses “caused by fear” (much less risky than
many present-day medications).
4. Roman votive offering of a foot, lead, c. 50 BC.
A Greco-Roman tradition of offering votives
in the shape of the ailing organ (hand, leg,
ear, womb, etc.) made of clay, copper, lead,
pewter, silver and gold.
5. Six silver Christian votive offerings:
c. 1850–1900. The tradition of placing such
offerings showing organs, people and even
animals was adopted, is still practiced today
and can be seen in some churches.

6. Liquttei ha-Refu’ot : Yiddish and Hebrew
prescriptions from the 16th century (facsimile).
The word “abracadabra” is written in a
descending pattern, which, if uttered properly,
causes the illness, i.e. the demon, to vanish.
Wellcome Institute Library.