This wooden amulet container is from the mountainous area around the Swat Valley. It is made from a soft wood, probably cedar or rosewood, and seems to be very old. It is smooth, roughly carved, and in a simple, undecorated leaf shape.

An amulet container like this would have been used on an animal, bound on to the animal’s neck by a string. It had two purposes: identification and protection. The animal’s owner could be identified by the shape of the amulet container or by the markings on it. This is an alternative to the branding of animals, which was not carried out in this region.

It was believed that wearing the amulet would protect the animal from accidents, illness or the ‘evil eye’. A small hole was carved in the amulet container to create a hollowed out space that was filled with a piece of folded paper inscribed with prayers or symbols from the Koran. This was then plugged with protective material and the hole filled with the wooden peg that had been removed earlier. It was often sealed with wax. Sometimes other items that were thought to have protective powers were used, for example dirt from a sacred place or special stones. Other common shapes for amulet containers from this area include discs, rectangles, and bells.

This object is unusual because it still contains the folded paper and the wooden plug. These are often lost and the amulet was normally carefully disposed of if the animal died.