HORNS AND TUSKS 313 



aching tooth. The same service is beheved to be rendered 

 by a reindeer's jawbone which has been buried so long in the 

 earth that it has assumed an earthy or greenish hue; this is 

 to be appHed in the same way as the bear's tooth. In both 

 cases whatever good results are accomplished are, of course, 

 due to the effect of heat.* 



The Mohammedan emblem of the crescent and the star is 

 believed by Professor Ridgeway to have been in part derived 

 from the boars' tusks used as amulets in many parts of 

 Europe in ancient times. However, as these amulets were 

 intended to figure the new moon, the Mohammedan emblem 

 was in any case, indirectly, an astrological symbol. Even 

 in the Swiss Lake Dwellings representations of the moon 

 have been found, indicating that already, in prehistoric 

 times, that luminary was an object of adoration. A curious 

 circumstance in regard to the Mohammedan emblem of 

 crescent and star is that the latter symbol probably refers to 

 the Star of Bethlehem, which was figured in connection 

 with the crescent on certain Byzantine coins. Possibly the 

 virtues ascribed to various teeth and horns, notably to tusks 

 of the narwhal, long believed to be horns of the fabulous uni- 

 corn, may have been due to the prevalent association of such 

 curved forms with the new moon. 



Many primitive amulets consisted of objects hurtful to 

 man, such as the teeth, the horns, or the claws of wild ani- 

 mals. This arose from the belief that what was feared by 

 man would also be feared by the invisible spirits who might 

 wish to harm him. A similar idea suggested the use of 

 thistles and of the thorns of plants for a like purpose. Cer- 

 tain African tribes even place poisonous herbs in small 

 horns or balls and wear them as amulets. It was a diamet- 

 rically opposite idea that suggested the use of beautiful 



*Johan Turi, "Muittalus samid birra: en bok om Lappernes liv."; text, and Danish 

 trans, by Emilie Demant, Kjobenlia\Ti, 1911, p. 192 (p. 70 of text). 



