Forwarding....
BOOKS: "Materia Magica The Archaeology of Magic in Roman Egypt, Cyprus, and
Spain..."
From <http://www.press.umich.edu/233550/materia_magica>:
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Materia Magica
The Archaeology of Magic in Roman Egypt, Cyprus, and Spain Andrew T. Wilburn
Approaches ancient magical practice through archaeology and social history
376pp., 20 B&W illustrations, 7 maps, 1 table.
978-0-472-11779-6
$80.00 U.S.
$80.00 CAN
This exciting new study draws on objects excavated or discovered in the late
nineteenth or early twentieth century at three Mediterranean sites. Through
the three case studies, Materia Magica identifies specific forms of magic
that may be otherwise unknown. It isolates the practitioners of magic and
examines whether magic could be used as a form of countercultural
resistance. Andrew T. Wilburn discovers magic in the objects of ancient
daily life, suggesting that individuals frequently turned to magic,
particularly in crises. Local forms of magic may have differed, and Wilburn
proposes that the only way we can find small-town sorcerers is through
careful examination of the archaeological evidence.
Studying the remains of spells enacted by practitioners, Wilburn's work
unites the analysis of the words written on artifacts and the physical form
of these objects. He situates these items within their contexts, to study
how and why they were used. Materia Magica approaches magic as a material
endeavor, in which spoken spells, ritual actions, and physical objects all
played vital roles in the performance of a rite.
Materia Magica develops a new method for identifying and interpreting the
material remains of magical practice by assessing artifacts within their
archaeological contexts. Wilburn suggests that excavations undertaken in
recent centuries can yield important lessons about the past, and he
articulates the ways in which we can approach problematic data.
Andrew T. Wilburn is Associate Professor of Classics at Oberlin College.
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