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TALISMAN

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Originally appearing in Volume V26, Page 372 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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TALISMAN , a magical See also:

charm. The word is often used as a See also:term synonymous with See also:amulet (q.v.), but strictly should be applied to an inanimate See also:object which is supposed to possess a supernatural capacity of conferring benefits or See also:powers, an amulet being that which protects or wards off evil (see MAGIC). The most See also:common See also:form which the talisman took in See also:medieval or later times was that of a disk of See also:metal or See also:stone engraved with astrological figures, or with magical formulae, of which See also:Abraxas (q.v.) and See also:Abracadabra (q.v.) are the most See also:familiar. The word is derived through the See also:Spanish from Arab. tilsamdn, plural of tilsam, an See also:adaptation of Gr. r X rjsa, See also:payment, outlay (from mXeiv, to accomplish), used in See also:Late Gr. of an See also:initiation or See also:mystery and in Med. Gr. of a charm.

End of Article: TALISMAN

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