A Blinding Curse from the Fountain of Anna Perenna in Rome
An elaborately produced lead tablet from the waters of the fountain of Anna Perenna is a unique curse that aims at blinding - rather than binding - an arbiter named Sura (SAR inv. 475567). It was engraved in two stages: first a matrix of lines, figures, designs and magical symbols was laid out caref...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Morcelliana
2010
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| In: |
Studi e materiali di storia delle religioni
Year: 2010, Volume: 76, Issue: 1, Pages: 65-76 |
| Further subjects: | B
Goddess religion
B Anna Perenna (Roman deity) B Rome B Mythology B Roman goddesses |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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| Summary: | An elaborately produced lead tablet from the waters of the fountain of Anna Perenna is a unique curse that aims at blinding - rather than binding - an arbiter named Sura (SAR inv. 475567). It was engraved in two stages: first a matrix of lines, figures, designs and magical symbols was laid out carefully in a symmetrical pattern on the roughly square tablet, and then at some later point in time the Latin text of the curse was added with little care and in some places squeezed with difficulty between the designs. I offer a close reading of the design and text of the tablet and argue that: the original matrix was designed to be part of a thief-catching ritual, in which the tablet was to be struck on both "eyes" in order to cause the thief's eyes to swell. It would appear, however, that a magician-scribe took this matrix and adapted it as a medium for a curse against Sura's eyes, perhaps because he wanted to prevent him from doing his job as a surveyor . (English) |
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| ISSN: | 2611-8742 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Studi e materiali di storia delle religioni
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