Fraisenketten & Charivari (charm chains)
Meaning
A Fraisenkette ('convulsion chain') is a silver chain hung with many protective objects: fossil teeth, coral, hands, crosses, saints' medals, boars' tusks, crystal balls, wolf teeth. Each covered a different danger, so the whole chain was a complete pharmacy of protection.
Intent
It was hung over the cradle or on the infant to protect against Fraisen (convulsions, fits and fever, a leading killer of babies) and the evil eye. The men's Charivari, a watch-chain hung with trophies, coins and teeth, became a proud display of hunting and luck.
Significance
It is the richest form of the European 'many amulets together' tradition, and shows how Catholic and older folk protection sat side by side. The Charivari is still worn with Bavarian and Austrian Tracht today.
History
Fraisenketten were made mainly in Bavaria, Austria and the Tyrol from the 17th to 19th centuries. The Charivari developed in the 19th century and remains part of traditional dress.
Making yours
30–50 cm chain of silver links with 10–30 mounted charms. Each charm is set in filigree or a claw cap.Medieval & Early Modern Europe: the tradition
Medieval Europe held two protective systems at once: the Church's sacramentals (relics, blessed wax, saints' medals, written prayers) and an older 'natural magic' of stones, herbs and animal parts inherited from Pliny and the lapidaries of Marbode of Rennes (c. 1090) and Albertus Magnus. Pilgrimage produced millions of cheap lead badges. Renaissance courts wore toadstones and bezoars set in gold, and Protestant reformers attacked both relics and charms. In Catholic Bavaria, Austria, Italy and Spain the folk tradition survived into the 20th century, recorded by collectors like Leopold Kriss-Rettenbeck and Rudolf Kriss, whose collections are now in Munich, and by Walter Hildburgh, who gave thousands of Spanish and Italian amulets to the V&A.
Limestone statuette of a boy with a chain of amuletslate 4th century–3rd century B.C.
Amulet ChainAustria
FraisenketteAustria
Fraisenhendchen or Lorettohemdchen; amulet. Image printed on silk and attached to a piece of gauze with cross-stitch.
Charivari mit acht Anhaengern
Fraiskette with 3 cases of charms
Moderner Charivari an Jeans
Charivari Arizona-style
Charivarie Nutria Gebiss sauzahn bergkristall Wildsau kralle huf ametist vogel
Jesuskind mit Fraisenkette - Pfarrkirche Poeggstall
Moderner-Charivari
Charivari massing
Fraisenhendchen or Lorettohemdchen; amulet.
Charivari (bavaria, late 20.century)More from Medieval & Early Modern Europe: Magic & inscribed rings
Every type in the gallery
Anything in the gallery can be made, by hand, in the prescribed metal or yours and, where the tradition names an hour, at that hour or with a plain note that it was not. Numbered. Price on commission, quoted first. I reply within one business day.