In spite of being mentioned directly only in few occasions in Syriac incantation texts of Late Antiquity, ‘fears’ seem to be at the core of their interest. In fact, Syriac magical texts often appear to be the rescue people seek in order not to fall in the hands of demons, misfortunes, pests, etc. All these actors of course are very much feared, as they are constant and powerful threats to life, especially as they are connected with sickness. The article will try to explain how Syriac textual amulets may be seen as therapeutic objects in the human dimension, i.e. as a remedy for fears of people in the real world, whereas they are intended as shelters against evil entities in the trans-mundane one. In this sense, Syriac amulets may be interpreted as a ritual/therapeutic tool related to the emotions of people in Late-Antique Mesopotamian multicultural society (4th–7th century AD).
Fears in Syriac Incantation Texts: The Therapeutics of Textual Amulets
MORIGGI M.
2024-01-01
Abstract
In spite of being mentioned directly only in few occasions in Syriac incantation texts of Late Antiquity, ‘fears’ seem to be at the core of their interest. In fact, Syriac magical texts often appear to be the rescue people seek in order not to fall in the hands of demons, misfortunes, pests, etc. All these actors of course are very much feared, as they are constant and powerful threats to life, especially as they are connected with sickness. The article will try to explain how Syriac textual amulets may be seen as therapeutic objects in the human dimension, i.e. as a remedy for fears of people in the real world, whereas they are intended as shelters against evil entities in the trans-mundane one. In this sense, Syriac amulets may be interpreted as a ritual/therapeutic tool related to the emotions of people in Late-Antique Mesopotamian multicultural society (4th–7th century AD).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
