Amulets and Magic Bowls: Aramaic Incantations of Late Antiquity by Joseph Naveh

Description

It was a widespread practice in the area of Palestine, Syria and Asia Minor during the fourth to the seventh centuries of the current era to use talismans written on metal sheets in order to ward off the powers of evil, to heal people, or to gain the love of a person. The common Babylonian practice of the same period was to write incantation texts on earthenware bowls. This book contains the texts of all the legible amulets in Aramaic known today, as well as 13 hitherto unpublished bowls. show more The texts are proved with translations and commentaries, and a detailed glossary of all the words is given. The study of these incantations provides a glimpse into the religious feelings and practices of common people in the Talmudic period and enriches our knowledge of Palestinian and Babylonian Aramaic usage. This book contains a wealth of new material for the history of magic in the Near East, edited and interpreted with meticulous scholarship. show less

Member Reviews

Featured Recent Thumbs

All Ratings
1
No Rating

1 review

lilinah 179 reviews

Translations of primarily Jewish magical texts written on amulets and bowls, from the Near East of the Fourth to Sevenths Centuries CE. Includes photographs of the original objects and the original texts (written in Hebrew alefbeit). Excellent for magical practice.

Ratings

HarrisonF 12 reviews

Apr 21, 2007

All Reviews