An amulet, similar to a talisman, can be any object but its most important characteristic is its alleged power to protect its owner from danger or harm. The word "amulet" comes from the Latin amuletum, meaning "an object that protects a person from trouble". Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words in the form of a magical spell, incantation, to repel evil or bad luck.
The Thai amulets link with Buddhism: the Buddhist monks and temples. The structure of the Thai amulets, therefore, shows various patterns of Buddha, images of the sacred monks, and/or sacred spell. Hence, the Thai amulets are in fact “Thai Buddha Amulets”. The Thai amulets are produced with purposes lie along most amulets, that they must basically serve their basic objective in offering the public a handy carrying tool for self-protection. For example, some amulet is believed to protect all worshippers from bullets and many kinds of dangerous; some is believed to be great of charming and kindness; some is for great fortune and lucky; and etc.
The Thai amulet generally is made traditionally from using holy powder/herbs, wood, ivory, and sacred soil. Additional mixture depends on the belief and purpose in making the amulet. Nowadays, another alternative, and becoming popular is metal-made medallion pendant. The sacred metal such as sacred gold, silver or copper, has been added into the metal made amulet. The popularity of this metal model is explained to due to its durability and easier maintenance than amulets that use conventional materials.
The amulet collectors have separated the Thai amulets into “classes”. The important basic lines they tend to agree with in classifying them are; firstly the Guru Monk who blessed or overseeing the creation of a particular amulet. Secondly, name of the temple where the amulet is made. The more sacred is the temple, the higher is the amulet premium. Final baseline of justification is the history or age of the amulet. However, this last baseline, somewhat, is considered not as important as the first two justifications. Instead, this baseline is considered to be based on personal attitude since some antique amulet may not necessarily reflect a higher premium than a newer one.
The Thai amulets in Thailand become widely popular and great demanding that their markets are easily found nearly at every corner in the village, in the town, or in the city throughout the country. Today, no one can deny the fact that amulets renewed a chapter that Thai Buddhist imageries, other than offering its basic objective in the form of spiritual protection for its owners as well as establishing as an original art form, they are treated as a form of investment too.
