Archaeology of Ritual and Magic

„…Die Erde bewahrt die Leiber auf, die unterirdischen Kammern die Seelen". Der Erdstall und das slawische Gräberfeld von Niederwünsch (Saalekreis/Sachsen Anhalt). Der Erdstall 38/2012.

by Eric Müller

Towards a Better Understanding of the Opening of the Mouth Ritual

by Mariam Ayad

Published in: J-C Goyon and C. Cardin (eds.) Proceedings of the Ninth International Congress of Egyptologists, Grenoble 6-12 September 2004,  Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 150 (Leuven: Peeters, 2007), 109-116.

Recent work  on the funerary chapel of Amenirdis I at Medinet Habu has proved her selections from the Opening of... more Recent work  on the funerary chapel of Amenirdis I at Medinet Habu has proved her selections from the Opening of the Mouth ritual to be deliberately chosen and meticulously laid out on the walls of her funerary chapel such that the texts, which were inscribed in retrograde, commence at the doorway to the chapel and culminate on the innermost wall of the corridor surrounding her cella. This interpretation of the layout of OM scenes suggests that the scenes inscribed on opposite walls run parallel to each other and should thus be read concurrently rather than sequentially. While this theory differs from more conventional interpretations of the division of the ritual, it accounts for the scenes' layout, their retrograde direction of writing/ reading, and relates the scenes' textual content to their physical location on the walls of the chapel. A new system for numbering the various scenes of the Opening of the Mouth arose from this particular analysis of Amenirdis's texts. The new numbers incorporate the scenes' physical location on the monument on which they occur.

New Light on Phaistos Disc. The Rediscovery of an ancient Ritual

by Roberta Rio

New evidence for a closeness between the Abu Râ’s shelter (Eastern Sahara) and Egyptian beliefs. - Sahara, 20, 2009: 125-126.

by Julien d'Huy

Sahara, 20, 2009: 125-126.
www.saharajournal.com/

From the Sahara to the Nile - The low representation of dangerous animals in the rock art of the Libyan desert could be linked to the fear of their animation. - Translated by Geoffrey Kolbe. - Les Cahiers de l'AARS, 13, 2009: 85-98.

by Julien d'Huy

Traduction de l'article "Du Sahara au Nil - La faible représentation d'animaux dangereux dans l'art rupestre du désert Libyque pourrait être lié à la crainte de leur représentation" - Cahiers de l'AARS 13: 85-98.

English translation of the paper "Du Sahara au Nil - La faible représentation d'animaux dangereux dans l'art rupestre du désert Libyque pourrait être lié à la crainte de leur représentation" - Cahiers de l'AARS 13: 85-98.

Fleeing the increasing aridity of their territory in order to reach the more favourable regions of the Nile valley,... more Fleeing the increasing aridity of their territory in order to reach the more favourable regions of the Nile valley, perhaps following what was to become the Abu Ballas track, the inhabitants of the Djebel el-‘Uweinat and the Gilf Kebir may have taken with them their fear of representing dangerous animals.

Du Sahara au Nil: la faible représentation d'animaux dangereux dans l'art rupestre du désert Libyque pourrait être liée à la crainte de leur animation. - Les Cahiers de l'AARS, 13, 2009: 85-98.

by Julien d'Huy

Co-authored with Jean-Loïc Le Quellec
http://aars.fr/

Fuyant l’aridification de leur territoire pour rejoindre les régions plus clémentes de la vallée du Nil, peut-être en... more Fuyant l’aridification de leur territoire pour rejoindre les régions plus clémentes de la vallée du Nil, peut-être en empruntant ce qui allait devenir la piste d’Abū Ballās, les habitants du Djebel el-’Uweynāt et du Gilf Kebīr auraient emporté avec eux leur crainte de représenter des animaux dangereux.

Fleeing the increasing aridity of their territory in order to reach the more favourable regions of the Nile valley, perhaps following what was to become the Abu Ballas track, the inhabitants of the Djebel el-‘Uweinat and the Gilf Kebir may have taken with them their fear of representing dangerous animals.

Broderick, L.G., 2012. Ritualisation (or The Four Fully-Articulated Ungulates of The Apocalypse). In Pluskowski, A. ed. The Ritual Killing and Burial of Animals: European Perspectives. Oxford: Oxbow Books. pp. 22-32

by Lee Broderick

Chapple, R. M. 2011 'Irish National Strategic Research (INSTAR) Programme- Findings From the First Phase 2008-2011. Review' Blogspot post

by Robert M Chapple

Theses de magia

by Marco Pasi

Published in: Societas Magica Newsletter, 20 (Fall 2008), pp. 1-8.

À propos de l’utilisation des os humains du Mexique ancien

by Gregory Pereira

Pereira, Grégory 2003 "A propos de l’utilisation des os humain du Mexique ancien : l’exemple des racles". In Cahier des thèmes transversaux ArScAn, Thème 6 : rites, cultes et religions, edited by J. Leclerc and Y. Morizot, pp. 149-153. Maison de l'Archéologie et de l'Ethnologie, Nanterre.

Instrumentum rituale. Simbologia ed ideologia della "paletta" nell'Italia protostorica tra archeologia ed arte rupestre

by Angelo Martinotti

published in E. ANATI (a cura di), Making history of prehistory: the role of rock art/Produrre storia dalla preistoria: il ruolo dell’arte rupestre, Pre-atti del XXIII Valcamonica Symposium (Capo di Ponte, 28 ottobre – 2 novembre 2009), Edizioni del Centro, Capo di Ponte 2009, pp. 243-254.

The term “ritual shovel” refers to a bronze or iron object characterised by a large, quadrangular or ellipsoidal body... more The term “ritual shovel” refers to a bronze or iron object characterised by a large, quadrangular or ellipsoidal body (blade), attached to a long, straight bar (handle) often ending with a variously shaped enlargement (knob), which is occasionally found in funerary contexts, dwellings or hoards of the proto-historical period in Italy. The same term also refers to a category of figures belonging to the Camunian iconographic repertoire of the proto-historical period, which is indeed recognised by the symbolic representation of this object. The investigation about its function and symbolic meanings starts from an angle that favours rock art iconography and proceeds by analysing the chronology and location of the object in Valcamonica and identifying the main associations with other figurative themes of the Camunian rock art. Our research then concentrates on the examples of shovels found within the material culture of Italic pre-roman populations; the possible functions of these objects are being investigated by analysing the most significant archaeological complexes and comparing resulting data with the interpretations suggested by the iconographic documentation. From the archaeological point of view, one recognises that shovels belong to the cooking instrumentation used when consuming meat or other valuable food.
The symbolic meaning of this object would be related to the social prestige associated with the practice of cooking meat; there is also a specific symbolic undertone related to the ritualistic-sacred sphere, when the consumption of meat concerned the remains of animal sacrificed during ceremonies in the honour of deities. The particular importance attributed to the symbol of the shovel in the Camunian rock art it is believed to be particularly related to the sacred meaning of liturgical instrument.

La muerte visita la casa: mujeres, cuidados y memorias familiares en los rituales funerarios fenicio-púnicos

by Ana Delgado

Published in: L. Prados (ed.): La Arqueología funeraria desde una perspectiva de género. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, 2012.

Groot, M., 2009, Searching for patterns among special animal deposits in the Dutch river area during the Roman period, Journal of Archaeology in the Low Countries 1.2, 49-81.

by Journal of Archaeology in the Low Countries

This paper explores recurring patterns among special animal deposits in rural settlements in the Dutch river area from... more This paper explores recurring patterns among special animal deposits in rural settlements in the Dutch river area from the Roman period and draws a comparison with finds of other material categories. Recognising patterns is a step towards interpreting special deposits as the material remains of ritual actions since ritual usually follows strict rules. Any interpretation of special deposits, such as animal burials, should be based on sound argumentation. Archaeologists may be faced with, and have to distinguish between, deliberate or casual rubbish disposal, intentional deposition without attending rituals and deposition surrounded by ritual actions. Detailed descriptions of good examples of both rubbish dumps and structured deposits will be of great value in this process. This paper also argues for a more holistic approach where various find categories are studied together. This will lead to the identification of similarities
between deposits. As an example, remarkable bone and non-bone finds from wells are described.
Some of these finds should be seen as foundation or abandonment deposits, suggesting that like farmhouses,
wells had a life cycle punctuated by ritual moments. Special deposits of animal remains and other find categories deserve much more attention than they now receive in excavation reports.

Englum 11: Restanten van rituelen

by Annet Nieuwhof

Published in: De leege Wier van Englum; Archeologisch onderzoek in het Reitdiepgebied (= Jaarverslagen van de Vereniging voor Terpenonderzoek 91) 2008.

Englum 11: Restanten van rituelen

by Annet Nieuwhof

Published in: De leege Wier van Englum; Archeologisch onderzoek in het Reitdiepgebied (= Jaarverslagen van de Vereniging voor Terpenonderzoek 91) 2008.

Animals as Agents: Hunting Ritual and Relational Ontologies in Prehistoric Alaska and Chukotka

by Erica Hill

Published in Cambridge Archaeological Journal in 2011.

Book Review: Kerriann Godwin, ed., The Museum of Witchcraft: A Magical History (Boscastle, Cornwall: The Occult Art Company, 2011), 142 pp., £34.00 (hardcover).

by Ethan Doyle White

"The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies", Volume 13.1 (2011).

A book review looking at the latest offering from The Occult Art Company, an anthology containing contributions from... more A book review looking at the latest offering from The Occult Art Company, an anthology containing contributions from noted researchers such as Ronald Hutton and Philip Heselton, and famous practitioners of contemporary witchcraft like Michael Howard and Patricia Crowther.

Gemellus' Evil Eyes

by Ari Bryen

Artists as Shamans: A Critical and Historical Overview - and Some Friendly Advice to Scholars

by Denita Benyshek, MFA, MA

Presented at the 2011 Conference of the International Society for Shamanistic Researchers: Shamanism and its Arts, State Ethnographic Museum of Warsaw, Poland.

Multilayered settlement of the Late Neolithic period and the 1st millennium BC at the source Halka Bunar, village Gorno Belevo, municipality Bratya Daskalovi, region Stara Zagora (for an EN translation press "more")

by Athanasios Sideris

Co-authored with Milena Tonkova, in Dimitrov Z., Fifth national archaeological exhibition “Bulgarian Archaeology 2011” (Sofia 2012), pp. 38-39
This is a short report of the 3rd excavation season at Halka Bunar, central - southern Bulgaria, in the frame of a joint project, between the Foundation of the Hellenic World, Athens, and the Archaeological Institute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia. The original short report is published in Bulgarian, in the small catalogue of the annual exhibition on new archaeological finds in Bulgaria, held in the Archaeological Museum of Sofia, February 14 – April 30, 2012. Here follows an English translation by A. Sideris.

During 2011 season the excavations continued in the Late Neolithic house 2 (sector VI), in ten Classical and Early Hellenistic pits in the sectors VI, VII and IX, in the clay wall remains of the Early Hellenistic houses in the sectors VII and IX, and in an Early Hellenistic pit with a human skeleton in the sector X.
The most important find of the season was a very well preserved clay eschara found in the central part of the Early Hellenistic house in the sector VII. The dimensions of the eschara are 59.5 X 59.5 cm. Its surface is richly decorated with linear and stamped motives organized in one central and eight peripheral panels designed with a cord imprint. The motives include swastikas, rosettes and two types of ivy branches. The eschara was made and baked in situ and in its multilayered foundation there have been used pottery shards. The decoration combines symbols characteristic for both Apollo and Dionysos, a blend often related to Orpheus cult.
During this season there was another important find too. About 15 meters in the North of the Early Hellenistic house of the sector IX, a new sector X was opened this year following the investigation of a strong geophysical anomaly. A deep pit was discovered, in the filling of which there were pottery shards, a clay loom weight, some clay eschara fragments with stamped decoration, and a large (58 X 42 X 16 cm) well cut rectangular stone. Under the stone there has been discovered a human skeleton in an unnatural position – with the lower limbs in a higher level, the body laying in its left side, the head reposing on the earth with its left side too, and both arms wide open. The left fist was firmly clenched. According to the anthropological analysis the individual is a male approximately 35 years old, in very good health and of a rather unusual height (1.80 ± 3 cm). The context, the pose of the skeleton, and the comparison with analogous cases known from pit sanctuaries in Thrace make the hypothesis for a ritual homicide / sacrifice the most plausible. However it is quite unexpected that this ritual homicide was found only 15 meters from a structure with an escahra and remains of a weaving loom dating to the same period (Early Hellenistic).
Among other noticeable results of this season’s field work was the documentation of some Classical and Early Hellenistic pits, as well as collection of further information on the furnishing and destruction conditions of the Late Neolithic house 2, in the sector VI (culture Karanovo III). During the investigation there have been found and documented the beam holes of the northwestern and southwestern walls of the house.


Captions
Left above: Pits in the northern side of the Early Hellenistic house in the sector IX.
Left middle: Reverse of a bronze coin of Seuthes III.
Left down: Late Neolithic pitcher.
Right above: Clay eschara (and its ornamental details) in the Hellenistic house of the sector VII.
Right middle: Grey ware oenochoe of the Classical period.
Right down: Iron spur of the Early Hellenistic period from the sector V.

During 2011 season the excavations continued in the Late Neolithic house 2 (sector VI), in ten Classical and Early... more During 2011 season the excavations continued in the Late Neolithic house 2 (sector VI), in ten Classical and Early Hellenistic pits in the sectors VI, VII and IX, in the clay wall remains of the Early Hellenistic houses in the sectors VII and IX, and in an Early Hellenistic pit with a human skeleton in the sector X.
The most important find of the season was a very well preserved clay eschara found in the central part of the Early Hellenistic house in the sector VII. The dimensions of the eschara are 59.5 X 59.5 cm. Its surface is richly decorated with linear and stamped motives organized in one central and eight peripheral panels designed with a cord imprint. The motives include swastikas, rosettes and two types of ivy branches. The eschara was made and baked in situ and in its multilayered foundation there have been used pottery shards. The decoration combines symbols characteristic for both Apollo and Dionysos, a blend often related to Orpheus cult.
During this season there was another important find too. About 15 meters in the North of the Early Hellenistic house of the sector IX, a new sector X was opened this year following the investigation of a strong geophysical anomaly. A deep pit was discovered, in the filling of which there were pottery shards, a clay loom weight, some clay eschara fragments with stamped decoration, and a large (58 X 42 X 16 cm) well cut rectangular stone. Under the stone there has been discovered a human skeleton in an unnatural position – with the lower limbs in a higher level, the body laying in its left side, the head reposing on the earth with its left side too, and both arms wide open. The left fist was firmly clenched. According to the anthropological analysis the individual is a male approximately 35 years old, in very good health and of a rather unusual height (1.80 ± 3 cm). The context, the pose of the skeleton, and the comparison with analogous cases known from pit sanctuaries in Thrace make the hypothesis for a ritual homicide / sacrifice the most plausible. However it is quite unexpected that this ritual homicide was found only 15 meters from a structure with an escahra and remains of a weaving loom dating to the same period (Early Hellenistic).
Among other noticeable results of this season’s field work was the documentation of some Classical and Early Hellenistic pits, as well as collection of further information on the furnishing and destruction conditions of the Late Neolithic house 2, in the sector VI (culture Karanovo III). During the investigation there have been found and documented the beam holes of the northwestern and southwestern walls of the house.


Captions
Left above: Pits in the northern side of the Early Hellenistic house in the sector IX.
Left middle: Reverse of a bronze coin of Seuthes III.
Left down: Late Neolithic pitcher.
Right above: Clay eschara (and its ornamental details) in the Hellenistic house of the sector VII.
Right middle: Grey ware oenochoe of the Classical period.
Right down: Iron spur of the Early Hellenistic period from the sector V.