Ottoman Empire Era Nazar

A blue glass disc, with concentric rings of white, then light blue, than black, which look like an eye

This eye-shaped amulet, which gained popularity during the Ottoman Empire (1299-1923), is believed to be protection against the Evil Eye. This particular example is thought to have been owned by Bosnian conspirator Muhamed Mehmedbašić, one of the men involved with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914. The assassination led to the start of World War I, and ultimately, the end of the Ottoman Empire.

This particular glass form has been a traditional art in the Mediterranean for thousands of years, and today, it is a popular souvenir for tourists in throughout the region, especially in places like Turkey, Macedonia, Greece, Bosnia, Syria and Lebanon.

Troll’s Tooth

A curiously shaped hard object resembling a large misshapened tooth.

 

The tooth belonged to the first troll on the Internet. In late 1989, this anonymous troll began wreaking havoc on conversations and psyches around the world. This tooth was lost in the flame wars of the early 90s, and came into the custody of the SHUSH museum through a series of anonymous exchanges. It is seen as a symbol that trolls can be defeated, and all those who viciously and relentlessly threaten, intimidate, and cause emotional harm on the internet will ultimately lose.

The First Pachinko Ball


This item was entered into the SHUSH collection in 1919, shortly after it was used in the first game of pachinko in Japan. Before it was placed into the game machine, it was blessed by Shinto priests and rituals of fairness where performed. After the ball dropped through the matrix of pins, without registering a win, it was placed in the custody the Tokyo chapter of the SHUSH.

Rare US half-cent coin, 1809


This coin was part of the collection of prominent Charleston Revolutionary War hero and later, politician, Charles Cotesworth “C.C.” Pinckney. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and ran against Thomas Jefferson in both the 1804 and the 1808 elections. He spent time as an ambassador in both the Washington and the Jefferson administrations, and rose to the rank of Major General in the Continental army. During his service, he spent some time as a prisoner of war after the siege of Charleston.

Pinckney died in August, 1825 and was buried in St. Michael’s Churchyard in Charleston, South Carolina. His tombstone reads, “One of the founders of the American Republic. In war he was a companion in arms and friend of Washington. In peace he enjoyed his unchanging confidence.”

This coin was entrusted to the SHUSH Museum by Pinckney, who put it in the possession of the Charleston chapter, and while it survived the terrible Charleston fire of 1838, it does bear its scars.

Dead Sea Seashells, Segment E, part 6 of 6

A small group of spiral seashells

 

The final portion of our collection of seashells found on the shores of the Dead Sea, is the collection of nautilus shells. These shells are made by mollusks in the cephalopod class.. Cephalopods include squids and octopuses, and nautilus are the only cephalods whose external shell is the only manifestation of bony structure. They can retreat entirely into their shell.

Dead Sea Seashells, Segment D, part 5 of 6

 

These shells are those of “keyhole” limpets. Like true limpets, the “keyhole” limpet has a conical shell. However, the creatures that produce these shells are a type of sea snails, and not closely related to limpets.The hole at the top allows the creature to expel water and waste. Typically, such snails are bottom feeders, feeding on vegetable or other organic waster material.

Dead Sea Seashells, Part 4 of 6, Segment C

Scallop-type shells
Segment C is a group of small bi-valve shells. One of the shells also exhibits the characteristic circular hole in the apex of the shell. Like the other holed specimens, the hole looks like it was made with a drill, and, in this case, makes a convenient aperture for affixing a cord or chain for use in jewelry or other decorative ornaments.

Dead Sea Seashells, Part 3 of 6, Segment B

A seashell with holes in it


This shell highlights one of the most unusual traits exhibited by about half of the shells known as the Dead Sea Seashells. While the shell itself seems to be that of a typical bi-valve (such as a clam, or a mussel), it has a series of holes, evenly spaced along its long edge. The holes appear to have been made with a drill, though the true origin of the holes has not been determined.

Dead Sea Seashells, Part 2 of 6, Segment A

Segment A, Dead Sea seashells

Segment A of the Dead Sea Seashells Collection is a assorted group of gastropod shells. Like the entire collection, these were from the cache of shells discovered in a plastic bucket on the shore of the Dead Sea.

One of the most common kind of shells found on the shores of beaches all over the world, these are produced by aquatic snails. There are an estimated 30,000 species of aquatic gastropods, and they produce an astonishing variety of shells.

The Dead Sea Seashells, Pt 1 of 6

Seashells, arranged in 5 groups
One of the rarest collections in the SHUSH Museum, these seashells were discovered on the shore of the Dead Sea in a plastic bucket.

The wide array of shell types found were unprecedented, and studying the collection revealed some unique characteristics of this rare sub-type of seashells.

As a whole, these unique shell specimens remind us that the world is filled with undiscovered mysteries.