A Greek Magical Gemstone from the Black Sea: Amulet or Miniature Handbook?
A neglected agate gemstone from Anapa, which dates to the Roman imperial period, is of great interest, as it differs from most magical gems in its spherical shape, its large size and its contents: it begins with a reference to traditional Greek expulsion rituals and ends with a list of the parts of...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Centre
[2010]
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| In: |
Kernos
Year: 2010, Volume: 23, Pages: 91-114 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (doi) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | A neglected agate gemstone from Anapa, which dates to the Roman imperial period, is of great interest, as it differs from most magical gems in its spherical shape, its large size and its contents: it begins with a reference to traditional Greek expulsion rituals and ends with a list of the parts of the human head similar to that found in a Hippocratic medical handbook. I argue that the gem is not an amulet, as previous editors have assumed, but rather a miniature handbook with instructions for making amulets. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Kernos
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.4000/kernos.1569 |