Sign of the Corna Necklace

Good Luck and Strength

The sign of the corna or sign of the horns is a common symbol in Italy and Mediterranean culture where, when confronted with unfortunate events or when these events are mentioned, the sign of the horns may be given to ward off bad luck and the malocchio or evil eye, one of the most ancient superstitions in Italy. The symbol is given with the fingers pointing down to seek protection in unlucky situations, a Mediterranean equivalent of knocking on wood.

The Italian horn amulet or corno is also a portafortuna, meaning lucky charm. Often associated with the sign of the corna, the horn is further protection against the evil eye, a curse thought to be caused by the jealousy and envy of others. Some know it as the devils horn amulet, because it was thought to be shaped like one of the devils horns, but the symbol actually predates Christianity by thousands of years. The original shape is thought to be that of the horn of an african eland (a genus of antelopes) or based on the horns of the old European moon goddess but the actual origins are debated.

The roman coin has been added as a symbol of strength in the face of all of this bad luck and envious damning. Julius Caesar was the first emperor to put his own image on the face of a coin while he was living. In 44 B.C he issued a coin with his face in profile on one side and the god Venus in her military armor, holding a statue of Victoria, the goddess of victory on the other. In this way, Caesar related himself and Rome to the divine gods and portrayed himself as the ideal of Roman power and supremacy. After Caesar, emperors continued to issue coinage with their likenesses, coins becoming almost the mass media of the day. The dispersed coins were about as close as most ordinary Romans would ever come to seeing their ruler in person.