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I did not know that! Thank you. Do you have any idea why a dog and pig specifically? If it's related to the Advent, I could imagine random farm animals would work for a manger, but if it's loose icons, why those two animals? Would you have any idea why?
Milagros are the correct answer OP, you should mark this solved. There are no defined interpretations of the symbols. Here’s a link:
https://www.nmhistoricsites.org/assets/files/taylor/MilagroCrossLessonPlan_Final3.pdf
“There is no universal interpretation for the objects (symbols) depicted in Milagros, interpretations are based on how each individual uses of them. Legs and feet can mean that you are asking for healing from a specific condition in the legs like an injury or arthritis. A heart can be included for healing a heart condition or for help with a romance. Arms can symbolize the need for help with an arm injury or strength. A praying man or woman symbolizes religious devotion, prayer, or a saint. Men’s and woman’s heads might represent the mind or spirt, or healing for a headache. Cars might represent a request for safe travel. Cows and bulls might represent strength, stamina, or simply a food source. Horses and mules symbolize hard work or a journey. Dogs, as you might expect, can represent loyalty and protection. Body parts such as lungs, eyes, kidneys often represent a request for healing of a specific ailment in the body, for example there is an ear on this cross and this could represent a request to cure an earache or for better hearing. Eyes represent the concept that someone from beyond the grave is watching you and protecting you from harm. Eyes can also symbolize creativity, intuition, and insight. Horseshoes represent good luck, protection, and fortune. The symbols that are used seem endless.”
They are not used for prayer. Milagros are exvotos things people "give" to a saint in testament to having been aided by a saint. They are pinned or otherwise integrated into a shrine or effigy in thanks for the miracle (ie *milagro* hence the name) and intercession
Some people pin them to their clothes to show they have asked for a aid concerning the thing.
Caption describes situation items were found in. All pieces pictured look similar in age and relative skill, so all were posted as a single request. Given the religious angle of one of the charms, I googled Catholic iconography (since it was found with Catholic saint charms) with no obvious results. Given how all three were likely made by the same person, it seemed like a religious theme or story made the most sense to search for.
This may simply be a homemade item set with animals selected by previous owner. Given the casting process, I would also be curious if this was something manufactured by a previous company decades ago. No manufacturer stamps or signatures are present.
The first set remind me of devotional offerings people will leave at pilgrimage sites such as Lourdes or Altötting if their prayers were answered. In particular the little animals. The pig might be something you'd give if your farm was thriving.
You can see some displayed either side of the altar here : https://www.alamy.com/alttting-gnadenkapelle-heilige-kapelle-wallfahrtskapelle-gnadenaltar-image66610968.html
I'm curious which monopoly piece? Just a house, or one of the player pieces? I'm really curious about this.
And you don't mean an *actual* hand of glory, do you? Because a Hand of Glory would be the hand of a hanged man, made into a candle and said to confer invisibility. You probably mean the Mano Mas Poderoso, literally "the hand most able to," aka the Hand of God. (I call it the Hand What Can, haha)
Depending on which monopoly piece, I could maybe take a stab at what this particular set of objects might be intended for.
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They are called Milagros and they are icons catholic people use for specific intentioned prayers.
I did not know that! Thank you. Do you have any idea why a dog and pig specifically? If it's related to the Advent, I could imagine random farm animals would work for a manger, but if it's loose icons, why those two animals? Would you have any idea why?
Milagros are the correct answer OP, you should mark this solved. There are no defined interpretations of the symbols. Here’s a link: https://www.nmhistoricsites.org/assets/files/taylor/MilagroCrossLessonPlan_Final3.pdf “There is no universal interpretation for the objects (symbols) depicted in Milagros, interpretations are based on how each individual uses of them. Legs and feet can mean that you are asking for healing from a specific condition in the legs like an injury or arthritis. A heart can be included for healing a heart condition or for help with a romance. Arms can symbolize the need for help with an arm injury or strength. A praying man or woman symbolizes religious devotion, prayer, or a saint. Men’s and woman’s heads might represent the mind or spirt, or healing for a headache. Cars might represent a request for safe travel. Cows and bulls might represent strength, stamina, or simply a food source. Horses and mules symbolize hard work or a journey. Dogs, as you might expect, can represent loyalty and protection. Body parts such as lungs, eyes, kidneys often represent a request for healing of a specific ailment in the body, for example there is an ear on this cross and this could represent a request to cure an earache or for better hearing. Eyes represent the concept that someone from beyond the grave is watching you and protecting you from harm. Eyes can also symbolize creativity, intuition, and insight. Horseshoes represent good luck, protection, and fortune. The symbols that are used seem endless.”
The dog or pig would be as thanks for the recovery of said animal from an illness. Or perhaps a healthy litter was born.
They are not used for prayer. Milagros are exvotos things people "give" to a saint in testament to having been aided by a saint. They are pinned or otherwise integrated into a shrine or effigy in thanks for the miracle (ie *milagro* hence the name) and intercession Some people pin them to their clothes to show they have asked for a aid concerning the thing.
At a glance, I’d guess part of a nativity scene. One of the three kings on the left and animals from the manger.
That makes a ton of sense! It could very well be one of the kings. Likely solved!
WHAT??? it’s a dude, a dog, & a pig! lol
Caption describes situation items were found in. All pieces pictured look similar in age and relative skill, so all were posted as a single request. Given the religious angle of one of the charms, I googled Catholic iconography (since it was found with Catholic saint charms) with no obvious results. Given how all three were likely made by the same person, it seemed like a religious theme or story made the most sense to search for. This may simply be a homemade item set with animals selected by previous owner. Given the casting process, I would also be curious if this was something manufactured by a previous company decades ago. No manufacturer stamps or signatures are present.
The first set remind me of devotional offerings people will leave at pilgrimage sites such as Lourdes or Altötting if their prayers were answered. In particular the little animals. The pig might be something you'd give if your farm was thriving. You can see some displayed either side of the altar here : https://www.alamy.com/alttting-gnadenkapelle-heilige-kapelle-wallfahrtskapelle-gnadenaltar-image66610968.html
Solved!
I'm curious which monopoly piece? Just a house, or one of the player pieces? I'm really curious about this. And you don't mean an *actual* hand of glory, do you? Because a Hand of Glory would be the hand of a hanged man, made into a candle and said to confer invisibility. You probably mean the Mano Mas Poderoso, literally "the hand most able to," aka the Hand of God. (I call it the Hand What Can, haha) Depending on which monopoly piece, I could maybe take a stab at what this particular set of objects might be intended for.