This conference volume explores various aspects of magic in antiquity, focusing especially on Graeco-Egyptian magical papyri and questions of cultural plurality and fusion, from earlier Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Greek traditions, through Graeco-Roman Egypt, up to and including Jewish and Byzantine magical lore.
A conference held in Heidelberg in 2014 resulted in this collection of essays, which explore the multifaceted aspects of magical texts and practices in antiquity, focusing especially on the Graeco-Egyptian magical papyri. The volume concentrates on questions of cultural plurality and fusion, ranging from earlier Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Greek magico-religious traditions, through the original developments of Graeco-Roman Egypt, up to and including their integration into Jewish and Byzantine magical lore. In particular, phenomena such as simple borrowing, advanced adaptation, complete assimilation or even distortion of origin and meaning stress the importance of disentangling different cultural elements and understanding their interaction. Going beyond the borders of academic fields, this book aims at giving to the transcultural perspective the importance it deserves in the study of ancient magic.
Table of contents:
Ljuba M. Bortolani/Svenja Nagel: Introduction & Acknowledgements
Part I: Egyptian, Greek and Mesopotamian Traditions of Magic: Different Genres, Perception of the 'Other' and Possible Transcultural ExchangeFranziska Naether: Magical Practices in Egyptian Literary Texts: in Quest of Cultural Plurality -
William Furley: Magic and Mystery at Selinus. Another Look at the Getty Hexameters -
Daniel Schwemer: Beyond Ereškigal? Mesopotamian Magic Traditions in the Papyri Graecae Magicae
Part II: Cultural Plurality and Fusion in the Graeco-Egyptian Magical Papyri (PGM/PDM)
Single Handbooks and Magical TechniquesRichard Gordon: Compiling P. Lond I 121 = PGM VII in a Transcultural Context -
Svenja Nagel: Illuminating Encounters: Reflections on Cultural Plurality in Lamp Divination Rituals -
Ljuba M. Bortolani: 'We Are Such Stuff as Dream Oracles Are Made on': Greek and Egyptian Traditions and Divine Personas in the Dream Divination Spells of the Magical Papyri -
Christopher A. Faraone: Cultural Plurality in Greek Magical Recipes for Oracular and Protective Statues
Specific Spells and DeitiesJoachim Friedrich Quack: The Heliopolitan Ennead and Geb as a Scrofulous Boar in the PGM. Two Case Studies on Cultural Interaction in Late-Antique Magic -
Richard Phillips: Traditions of Transformation and Shape-Shifting in PGM XIII 270-77 -
Adria Haluszka: Crowns of Hermanubis: Semiotic Fusion and Spells for Better Business in the Magical Papyri -
Marcela Ristorto: Love Spell and Hymn to Aphrodite in PGM IV (2891-941)
Part III: Integration and Transformation of Graeco-Egyptian Magic in Jewish and Byzantine SpellsGideon Bohak/Alessia Bellusci: The Greek Prayer to Helios in
Sefer Ha-Razim, in Light of New Textual Evidence -
Michael Zellmann-Rohrer: Incantations in Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Greek: Change and Continuity.
