Note 115 — Chapter XIX

There is the possibility that bells were worn as amulets, though not necessarily intended as such by their wearers. “Le son de l’airain,” like the tinkling ornaments of the daughters of Zion (Isa. iii. 18), was thought to have a prophylactic virtue. The double-tail mermaids of silver still worn in Naples as charms against the evil eye are always hung with little bells (Elworthy, The evil eye, p. 368).