Aramaic Incantation Texts from NippurCambridge University Press, 17 févr. 2011 - 374 pages In 1888 the University of Pennsylvania sponsored the first ever American archaeological expedition to Mesopotamia, to Nippur, about 160 km south of Baghdad. Among the artefacts discovered were the remains of over 100 inscribed bowls from the early centuries CE. Some contain unidentifiable writing, but most carry spiral inscriptions of exorcism texts in one of three Aramaic dialects and scripts: that of the Babylonian Talmud, a Syriac dialect, and Mandaic. This book, first published in 1913, contains transcriptions and annotated translations of texts from forty of the bowls, together with an inscription found on a human skull, and 41 illustrations. A substantial introduction sets the material in the broader context of Hellenistic magic. The author traces the bowl magic back to ancient Babylonian sorcery, and explores its relations with cuneiform religious texts and Greek magical papyri, emphasising its culturally eclectic character and the diversity of its users. |
Table des matières
PREFACE | 7 |
INTRODUCTION | 13 |
Some Notes on the Texts Hitherto Published | 23 |
THE MAGIC OF THE TEXTS | 40 |
HISTORICAL CONCLUSIONS | 102 |
PAGE | 117 |
309 | |
PREFATORY NOTE TO THE PLATES | 319 |
Autres éditions - Tout afficher
Expressions et termes fréquents
according Amen amulet ancient angel appears Arabic arts Babylonian bowls Broken called character charm cited Commentary connection curse deity demons Devils disease ditto divine Ellis epithet especially evidently evil spirits exorcism expressed figure formula frequent give given Glossary gods Greek hand heaven Hebrew incantation inscription interesting Jewish Justi later legend letters Lidz Lilith Lord magic Mand Mandaic means Metatron Michael Nippur Noldeke obscure occurs original papyri parallel passage Persian person phrase PLATE plural Pogn Pognon practice present probably published reference religion represent root Satan Schw F Schwab script seal Semitic sense seven similar sons sorcerer spell Stiibe Syriac Talmud texts thee Translation UNIVERSITY MUSEUM wife Wohls word written