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Personal protection items. Author: Josu Larrinaga Zugadi.

Down through the years, items to ward off or provide collective protection against bad weather, dark enemies and their feared actions, along with the belief in divine punishments and spells of bad luck have existed in specific geographical areas or immediate social settings (family, friends, neighbourhood, dwelling, properties, etc.). Those items were placed at heights to protect the whole community (bells, crosses, shrines and their religious figures, trunks or trees, fires, etc.) or on abodes (hands, claws or paws, water, plants or vegetables, religious motifs, physical and painted crosses, or displaying the Sacred Heart, etc.).
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