in an effort to persuade the patient's subconscious mind
to help with the healing.
In 1869, J. E. Quibell excavated several sites in Egypt.
One of these was the house of a medical magician who
lived at Thebes. In the ruins of this house, he found four
small wax figures that represented the sons of Horus
(the four sons of Horus were used to represent the four
directions during magickal rituals; modern magicians
frequently use four different-colored candles to represent
these directions), two clay ushabtis (or shawabtis), and a
wooden box with an image of the Goddess Isis, mistress
of magick, on the lid. This box contained a number of
small magickal papyrus scrolls. However, the scrolls
were so delicate that they could not be completely
unrolled. The box also contained four ivory curved
wands with mythical creatures painted on them. These
magickal wands were used for making gestures when the
magician made such items as talismans and amulets.
Also inside were small human figures (poppets) made of
clay, red and black inks, reed pens, and stone beads and
amulets.
Today these little human-shaped images can be made
of cloth, wood, clay, or, in an emergency, even paper.
Each one is made to represent a specific person. The
power doesn't lie within the poppet, but within the will
and intent of the healer-magician.
Making a Poppet
A poppet usually looks something like a gingerbread
cookie. It does not have to be very large, just big enough
to hold some herbs and perhaps a stone or two. You
don't have to be a seamstress or even handy with a
needle to make a poppet. In fact, you can use fabric glue
to hold the two pieces of cloth together.