{{Short description|Italian amulet or talisman worn to protect against the evil eye}} {{redirect|Little horn|the Tasmanian mountain|Cradle Mountain|use in prophecy|Daniel 7|the Marilyn Manson song|Antichrist Superstar}} right|thumb|150px|A silver cornicello charm. A {{lang|it|'''cornicello'''}} ({{IPA|it|korniˈtʃɛllo}}), {{langnf|it|'''cornetto'''|term1=little horn |term2=hornlet|paren=left}}; {{IPA|it|korˈnetto|}}), {{langnf|it|'''corno'''|horn"}}, or {{langnf|it|'''corno portafortuna'''|horn that brings luck}} is an Italian amulet or talisman worn to protect against the evil eye (or ''malocchio'' {{IPA|it|maˈlɔkkjo|}} in Italian) and bad luck in general, and, historically, to promote fertility and virility. In Neapolitan, it is called {{lang|nap|curniciello}} or variants thereof. The amulet is also sometimes referred to as the '''Italian horn'''.
==Origins and styles== thumb|150px|Red cornicello A cornicello is a twisted horn-shaped charm often made of gold, silver, plastic, bone, terracotta, or red coral.<ref name=want>{{cite book | last = Maberry, Jonathan and Janice Gable Bashman | title = Wanted Undead Or Alive: Vampire Hunters and Other Kick-Ass Enemies of Evil | date = September 2010 | publisher = Kensington Publishing Corp | location = New York, NY | isbn = 978-0-8065-2821-2 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/wantedundeadoral0000mabe/page/165 165–166] | url = https://archive.org/details/wantedundeadoral0000mabe/page/165 }}</ref> Cornicelli are thought to be modeled after an eland horn, to represent fertility, virility, and strength.<ref>{{cite web|title=Perché si crede che il corno porti fortuna?|url=http://www.focus.it/cultura/storia/perche-si-crede-che-il-corno-porti-fortuna|date=26 June 2002|language=it}}</ref> The shape and colour of the red cornicelli are reminiscent of a chili pepper.<ref>{{cite book|author=Lorena Fiorini|title=Il peperoncino|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CM84CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT46|editor=Newton Compton|year=2016|publisher=Newton Compton Editori |isbn=978-88-54-19010-8|language=it}}</ref> The evil eye is believed to harm nursing mothers and their babies, bearing fruit trees, milking animals, and the sperm of {{nowrap|men{{px2}}{{mdash}}{{px2}}}}the forces of generation. In addition to being worn as jewelry, cornicelli are sometimes hung from the rearview mirrors of cars (based on the older custom of using them to protect draft horses), and in houses.<ref name="mojo">{{cite web |last1=Yronwode |first1=Catherine |title=The Corno |url=http://www.luckymojo.com/corno.html |website=Lucky Mojo Curio Co. |access-date=21 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="naples">{{cite web |last1=Melissi |first1=Paolo |title=Neapolitan Cornicello |url=https://www.italian-traditions.com/cornicello-naples-the-horn-luck-charm |website=Italian Traditions |access-date=21 August 2018}}</ref>
The cornicello is also linked to Greek and Roman mythology. The cornucopia became a symbol of fertility and the earth after Zeus broke a horn from a goat. He filled it with fruit and flowers and gave it to his caretaker.<ref name="role">{{cite web |title=Rules to follow before you buy a Coral "cornicello" or horn-shaped talisman |url=https://www.takerole.com/rules-to-follow-before-to-buy-a-coral-cornicello-or-horn-shaped-talisman-2/ |website=Take Role |access-date=21 August 2018}}</ref> The coral of which it is often made is sacred to Venus, goddess of love, fertility, sex, and prosperity. Silver, of which it is also often made, is sacred to Luna, goddess of the moon.<ref name="mojo" /> The phallic shape and red color is also a reference to Priapus, a male fertility god.<ref name="naples" />
A regionally popular amulet, they are most often worn by Italian men in Southern Italy, and especially in the region of Campania, as well as Lazio, Apulia, Basilicata and to a lesser extent in Sicily and Calabria.<ref>{{cite news|title=Riti, amuleti e portafortuna. Ecco l'Italia scaramantica|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2012/11/12/societa/riti-amuleti-e-portafortuna-ecco-l-italia-scaramantica-TVtvwtme95LKxN3gsknZuL/pagina.html|publisher=La Stampa|date=12 November 2012|language=it}}</ref> It can also be found among descendants of Italian immigrants in other countries.
==Related== Possibly related to the corno is the ''mano cornuta'' or "horned hand." This is an Italian hand gesture (or an amulet imitative of the gesture) to ward off the evil eye. ''Mano'' means "hand" and ''corno'' means "horn."<ref name=want /> This gesture is performed with the hand levelled or pointing down, or at least slightly downward, usually with a swivelling or oscillating motion.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Amulets and Talismans}} {{Superstitions}}
Category:Amulets Category:Superstitions of Italy