Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card for Z 45642: 'Metal charm holder.'
Event Date
Author: Lizzy Peneycad

Description (Physical description)
Accession register description for 1937.672, p. 201: 'Mazuzah. Brass. Jewish door-amulet.'
Event Date 1937
Author: Lizzy Peneycad

Context (Production / use)
Case to hold a copy of the text 'Except the Lord build this house' etc. This is fastened at the side of the front door and visitors should touch it saying, 'May the Lord bless this house'.
Event Date 6/4/1992
Author: Lizzy Peneycad

Description (Physical description)
Brass mazuzah (Jewish).
Event Date 6/4/1992
Author: maa

Description (Physical description)
Mezuzah. Jewish door amulet, comprising Hebrew verses from the Torah written on a rolled piece of paper, stored in a long rectangular metal case with a sliding base made of brass. The lid of the case has a trapezoid cross section, and the Hebrew letter Shin embossed on the top. The base has chamfered corners, and the long edges turned over to hold the lid.
Event Date 6/6/2023
Author: Lizzy Peneycad

Context (Amendments / updates)
During the Stores Move Project (2020-2025), an object consisting of a small metal box containing a scroll with Hebrew script was found marked with the accession number Z 45642. In the Z register, Z 45642 is described as a 'metal charm holder - against the 'Evil Eye' tied round neck of camel or donkey' from Arabia, West Asia. The description and place of origin are based on an old handwritten note found with the object, reading 'Charm against the evil-eye tied round neck of camels and donkeys by Arabs'. Written in pencil on the back of this note is '1937.632', crossed out, and 'Z 45642'. The description on the note closely matches 1937.632, but appears to bear no relation to Z 45642, which has been identified as a Jewish door amulet, or Mezuzah. Both 1937.632 and Z 45642 were stored in the same drawer. It therefore seems that at an unknown date, the handwritten note was incorrectly associated with Z 45642 and used as a basis for its entry into the Z register.

Z 45642 matches the accession register description for only one other object, 1937.672. The records for the two numbers have now been combined, with the original accession number, 1937.672, taking cataloguing priority.




Event Date 6/6/2023
Author: Lizzy Peneycad

Context (Amendments / updates)
The department field of this record was previously 'Arch'. However, the object numbered Z 45642, now identified as 1937.672, was stored with the anthropology collections and there is no evidence that it originated from an archaeological context. The department field has therefore been changed to 'Anth'.
Event Date 6/6/2023
Author: Lizzy Peneycad