The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

IN PERSIA. 75
displayed to his view by the divine lighfs 01 in this vast
and diversified cavern, 92
incident which excited his
every
every transaction in life, how trivial soever. I subjoin an enumeration
of many of them from Richardson. "
(Dissert., p. 275.) Nushret
was an amulet for preventing or curing insanity, or other malady.
Keble, a philtre by which necromancers pretended to reconcile enemies.
Ghezshghaw were tufts made of the hair of sea-cows, and
hung round the necks of horses to defend them from fascination.
Shebarik, a tree of which they make amulets for the same purpose.
Azimet, an amulet, incantation, or spell against serpents, disease, or
other evil. Sulwanet, shells, rings, or beads used as amulets. Sulwan
denotes water taken from the grave of a dead man, poured from
a kind of shell upon the earth, which they drink to the health of a person
as a cure for love, or any severe affliction. Atfet or Antefet, small
beads hung by women round their necks, as a charm to gain the affection
of lovers. Akret, a spherical amulet worn by some women round
their waists to prevent pregnancy; and by others to favour a conception.
Akhzet, an amulet in form of a knot, which women wear to
keep their husbands faithful. Nirenk, nirek, hemail tawiz, mikad,
mutemmim, gezz, kherez, kehal, wejihet, rab, kyrzehlct, mawiz, berim,
signify amulets made of shells, beads, tufts of wool or dead
hair^
men's bones, &c. Neju, ferhest,
reki, shuh, latet, nezret, %c., imply
fascination or malignant eyes. Kherchare -is an ass's head placed on
a pole in a garden, &c., to guard against fascination. Bazur and
bazubend signify amulets or any kind of ligatures used in enchant-
ment, because they are in general fastened round the arm, which the
latter word implies. Cheshm benam, an amulet for averting the fascination
of malignant eyes." Thus far Richardson, but I beg leave
to quote a very curious passage on this subject from Odoricus, in Hak-
luyt, cited by Southey, in his fine poem of Thalaba, (vol. i., p. 114,)
although the note is already somewhat too much extended. " In the
country called Panten or Tathalamasin, there be canes called Cassan,
which overspread the earth like grasse, and out of every knot of
them spring foorthe certaine branches, which are continued upon the
ground almost for the space of a mile. In the sayd canes there are
found certaine stones, one of which stones whosoever carryeth about
with him, cannot be wounded with any yron; and therefore the men
of that country, for the most part, carry such stones with them,
whithersoever they goe. Many also cause one of the armes of their
children while they are young, to be launced, putting one of the
sayd stones into the wound, healing also and closing up the sayd
wound with the powder of a certain fish, (the name whereof I do not
know,) which powder doth immediately consolidate and cure the sayd
wound. And by the vertue of these stones, the people aforesaid doe,
for the most part, triumph both on sea and land."
91 This display was denominated Zvroyia, as we learn from Psellus
in his Notes on the Oracles of Zoroaster.
9-2 He was taught the hieroglyphical character, or sacred cipher, in
which their mysterious dogmata were perpetuated; specimens of
which, according to SirW. Jones, (Asiat. Res., vol. ii., p. 57,) still
remain.