Ancient Spells

Fragile golden and silver scrolls believed to be “spells” to invoke good or evil spirits were unearthed with ancient skeleton in Serbia.

16:49 16 August 2016

Archaeologists have unearthed fragile golden and silver scrolls the size of sweet paper containing careful script alongside skeletons of human buried almost 2,000 years ago. They believe that the inscriptions may have been used as spells to invoke good or evil spirits.

 

Miomir Korac, chief archaeologist at the site in eastern Serbia, said: “The alphabet is Greek, that much we know. The language is Aramaic - it's a Middle Eastern mystery to us.”

 

The skeletons were found at the foot of a massive coal-fire station. Following careful brushing soil away from the bones, the team found two amulets containing silver and gold rolls covered in symbols and writing.

 

'We read the names of a few demons, that are connected to the territory of modern-day Syria,' archaeologist Ilija Dankovic said.

 

He added: 'They were often love charms, ordering someone to fall in love, but there were also dark, malignant curses, to the tune of: 'may your body turn dead, as cold and heavy as this lead,'

 

Magic charms tended to be buried with dead children or adults who had suffered a violent death because of a belief that ‘souls of such people took longer to find rest and had a better chance of finding demons and deities and pass the wishes to them so they could do their magic.’