The history of wearing amulets goes back thousands of years—truly astonishing when one thinks about it. The diverse paths of human belief make this subject a fascinating and challenging field for psycho-archaeological study. Since ancient times, dung beetles have held great value among many human communities, both in India and abroad.

Skilled artisans of that era crafted amulets by casting dung beetle shapes in metals like copper and bronze. These amulets featured beautifully designed rings for threading. Depending on one’s financial and social status, they were worn on the hand, around the neck, or at the waist using threads made of cotton, wool, or silk, or even chains of gold, silver, or copper.

While archaeological evidence confirms their use, the exact reasons why ancient people wore dung beetle amulets remain a subject that cultural anthropology seeks to explain.

Imagine this—products like these amulets, crafted by Bengali artisans, once traveled across seas to regions such as Rome, Egypt, Greece, Crete, and even Southeast Asia. In return, gold flowed into Bengal, quite literally making it the “Golden Bengal.”

Today, thousands of exquisite dung beetle amulets made of bronze and copper, along with beads of precious and semi-precious stones, have been discovered at several archaeological sites in the Sundarbans. Evidence suggests that these items were manufactured in these regions and exported overseas.

The two amulets shown here were discovered at Harinarayanpur, located along the banks of the Hooghly River. Some believe these artifacts date back to the 2nd century BCE, although recent research suggests they may be even older.

While you may not be allowed to wear these more than 2,000-year-old amulets, you might still have the rare opportunity to touch and examine them at the museum of the Sundarbans Archaeological Research Center.

Author: Debishankar Midya

Image courtesy: Sundarban Pratna Gobeshona Kendra