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Crescent Moon: There are many examples of this lunar amulet or crescent moon throughout our region. The moon has always been an object of veneration, but it was also believed that it could cause illness, lunacy, and madness. It is even still falsely thought that it influences a woman's cycle, hastens death, and speeds up childbirth. Hence these amulets against the moon's fascination and influence, and against the evil eye. This amulet is found in cultures such as Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, and later Roman. It was also used by the Phoenicians.
In Galicia, there are certain stones in particular on which women would lie in the moonlight to ensure safe childbirth. In Cáceres, a steel moon was hung around children's necks to protect them from lunacy. In the Canary Islands, there was such fear of this risk among young children that they believed if the moon shone on them without them looking at it, it could cause rashes, hives, and stomach aches. To avoid this, there was a peculiar tradition or ritual in which the diaper containing the newborn's first bowel movement, or meconium, was thrown onto the roof so that the moon could see it. This was believed to protect them during the first months of life. They also tried not to hang the child's clothes out to dry at night for the same reason, so as not to "make them sick."
These amulets could be made of silver, iron, or even wood. Sometimes, several were owned. Iron amulets were used for everyday life, while silver or mother-of-pearl amulets were reserved for holidays. In Peñaparda (Salamanca), the crescent moon was used to protect against both witches and the moon's influence.
Some believe that the typical image of the Virgin Mary on the moon may also originate from these amulets, thus transforming a secular symbol of protection into a religious one. In iconography, Christians identify Mary with the moon in the Beatus manuscripts or codices that commented on the Apocalypse (I also discussed this in one of my previous articles on medieval Beatus manuscripts). In fact, in the photos, the first moon contains the symbol or monogram associated with the Virgin Mary: an M with an inverted V.
In Galicia, there are certain stones in particular on which women would lie in the moonlight to ensure safe childbirth. In Cáceres, a steel moon was hung around children's necks to protect them from lunacy. In the Canary Islands, there was such fear of this risk among young children that they believed if the moon shone on them without them looking at it, it could cause rashes, hives, and stomach aches. To avoid this, there was a peculiar tradition or ritual in which the diaper containing the newborn's first bowel movement, or meconium, was thrown onto the roof so that the moon could see it. This was believed to protect them during the first months of life. They also tried not to hang the child's clothes out to dry at night for the same reason, so as not to "make them sick."
These amulets could be made of silver, iron, or even wood. Sometimes, several were owned. Iron amulets were used for everyday life, while silver or mother-of-pearl amulets were reserved for holidays. In Peñaparda (Salamanca), the crescent moon was used to protect against both witches and the moon's influence.
Some believe that the typical image of the Virgin Mary on the moon may also originate from these amulets, thus transforming a secular symbol of protection into a religious one. In iconography, Christians identify Mary with the moon in the Beatus manuscripts or codices that commented on the Apocalypse (I also discussed this in one of my previous articles on medieval Beatus manuscripts). In fact, in the photos, the first moon contains the symbol or monogram associated with the Virgin Mary: an M with an inverted V.