These Ancient Egyptian Texts Were Said To Have Magical Powers That Could Curse Your Enemies Or Break Up Marriages
Centuries ago, a set of “magical” texts were created in Egypt that aimed to change the lives of those who utilized their powers.
The texts date back between the fourth and 12th centuries A.D., and they were written on papyrus, paper, parchment, and shards of clay.
Two researchers from the University of Würzburg in Germany have been studying the texts for the past five years.
The texts were said to have magical powers that could curse enemies, heal illnesses, bring about love or hatred, and allow those who used them to see into the future.
It is believed that the texts may have been worn in an amulet around the neck or hidden in an enemy’s home, depending on what purpose they were being used for.
They were also written in Coptic, a language that represents the final stage of the ancient Egyptians.
Coptic was spoken in Egypt since around the second century A.D. Following the Arab conquest of Egypt in the seventh century, the language was slowly replaced with Arabic over time. Prior to the Arab conquest, the Romans ruled over Egypt for hundreds of years.
Now, the Coptic magical texts have been featured in a book titled Papyri Copticae Magicae. The book also includes translations and background information.
One of the researchers, Korshi Dosoo, said, “These texts are unique historical documents as they testify to ancient people’s lived experiences: the language they spoke, the emotions they felt, the spiritual beings they turned to in moments of crisis, their social environments, and the realities of everyday life.”
Mikolaj Niemczewski – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Dosoo added that by tracking the changes within the texts, through the shift in language usage or ritual practices, they can better understand what ordinary ancient Egyptians were going through in their daily lives.
The fourth to 11th centuries were filled with many ups and downs. During this period, traditional Egyptian religion was being converted to Christianity. Then, later on, the Arabs took over Egypt.
According to Dosoo, around 600 of the texts managed to survive all these years, but the largest published collection contains only about 100 of them.
There were several different categories of the texts. Some of them were meant to protect the user from demons or death.
Another included a spell for a beautiful singing voice. The user was required to call upon the angel Hormosiel to bless a cup of wine mixed with honey and blessed water. Once the drink has been consumed, the user will be able to sing well.
Additionally, spells intended for dealing with matters of the heart showed up quite frequently. They seemed to be employed mostly by men, and some even worked to break up married couples.
A category of texts also targeted medical issues, such as headaches, fever, and insomnia, along with spells to help a person become pregnant.
The establishment of Christianity in Egypt may have ended the worship of various gods, but the belief in magical powers persisted.
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