Plague Amulet

What it is

This object is a plague amulet: a cord of beads with a small cloth pouch, metal medals, a cross pendant and a round disc. It is displayed in a museum case in Basel, labelled as a metal piece covered with cloth.

Why it matters

Amulets like this were worn by ordinary people who had no medical way to protect themselves from plague. They reveal how people during and after the Black Death turned to charms, religious objects and folk belief alongside, or instead of, medical treatment. The object survives as physical evidence of everyday fear and faith during times of pestilence.

Look closer

• What materials make up this amulet, and what might each part have meant to the person who wore it?
• Why might someone trust an amulet to protect them from a disease?
• What does an object like this tell us that a written account cannot?