Common Omani Silver Samt pendant (Silver disk):
a) On the front of this silver medal is a Koranic text "the Throne" = Ayat 255 of the second Surat of the holy Koran) This text is believed to have protective amuletic properties (protect against evil spirits)
b) Engraved on the back of the pendant is a stylized image of a female djinn or spirit, sometimes known as the 'Umm al-subyan' (mother of the boys)handcuffed and shackled at the ankles.
The wearer of this element is clearly "betting on two horses", if the front charm does not work he still has the one on the back of the medal!
According to Oman Adorned (ref 1) p 102, 'On the back of the samt there was almost always a small figure - on older examples, in a highly stylised form - representing a jinn (a spirit, not necessarily evil) - though some referred to this figure specifically as a sheytan, or devil. This figure, which seems to represent a female spirit, umm al-subyan, "mother of the boys", was depicted as being handcuffed and shackled at the ankles (some say this was carried out by the Prophet Suleiman, in order to render her powerless): she was said to give children nightmares, and boys wet-dreams, and the samt was often placed around the boy's neck, or under his pillow, or was wrapped in leather and tied just above the elbow during sleep, in order to protect the sleeper from harm. The same figure was sometimes drawn on a slip of paper, along with Qur'anic verses, the paper then being carefully folded up and put into a silver hirz or wrapped in a leather pouch. This amulet was then called hirz al-qama, "hirz of the standing (figure) " It was worn, especially by young boys and married women, to protect them from the female spirit or she-devil, and from the bad dreams and mental disturbance which she brought. Weight 40 grams. Diameter of the disk is 6,5 cm.
Koranic Verses
Example of a shackled Jinn on the back of the amulet, in case the verses on the front do not work!