amulet

Mr Beer said sometimes this involved the use of amulets known as “taweez”, which can contain written verses of the Koran and can be worn around the neck.

The things they carried — amulets that hadn’t worked, kids’ drawings, family photos, letters of love and despair — would be collected and cataloged.

These archaeological digs have also turned up some 800,000 everyday objects including china, toys, and even amulets suggesting a connection to West African tribal religions and traditions.

Tom quickly learns that his granny is the guardian of the Phoenix, a powerful amulet which, in the right hands, maintains the good in the universe, but in the wrong hands will destroy humanity.

Some people were buried with personal ornaments - bangles, beads, amulets - which could not be passed on to others.