that appeared later in history were considered as giving powers or solving problems to those who carried them. In Egypt, the belief was that carrying a snake?s skin was a virtue for medicine, probably because snake?s slough symbolized rebirth and was associated with cure. Marteseger, the Egyptian snake goddess was considered as the guardian of the Kings Valley. A women who could not conceive knelt in front of her image or sculpture for blessing.
The symbol of Aesculapius, the Roman Medicine God was a snake wrapped around a bed.
Among Indian tribes, the American snake is associated with lighting and thunder. The snake rod served the Indians in rituals to bring rain and ensure plentiful harvest.
Apart from the snake, another fertility symbol is the fig leaf that serves as virtue for men or women who suffer of sterility. A blue cloth serves as virtue for the birth of a boy and a red cloth, as a virtue for the birth of a girl. As we can see, a certain color was also a virtue for protection. In Arab traditions, the blue color is used to drive ghosts and demons away.
The use of the blue color is also present in the Arab symbol known as ?Hamsa? (also called ?Hand of God?), and as components of plant and spices packages.
Different plants have also inspired the infusion of protection symbols. Some religions used garlic to scare away demons and evil eye.
Unlike other religions, Judaism has made a unique usage of a cameo: the Mezuzah (doorpost). According to the Jewish belief, troubles and sicknesses at home are directly linked to a disqualified, invalid or the absence of a Mezuzah. In certain periods, the Jews used tattoo symbols on their bodies. Religious leaders did not allow these customs, as they