Incantation Bowl
Clay
Ahwaz
6.5 cm x 18 cm diam.
A35804
Oriental Institute Museum
Incantation Bowl
Clay bowls with magical inscriptions are found in great numbers in houses dating from the Sassanian and Islamic periods. These bowls were buried upside-down at strategic points within houses or at gates to trap the evil spirits lurking there. A magic spell, or incantation, written around the bowl's interior usually named the specific person or family who had the bowl made. An image of an evil spirit, tied down or chained, was often painted in the center of the inscription. This particular bowl was made to protect the household of Sisnoi bar Zidin-vakas.
Multimedia
An Incantation Bowl
See how magic played a role in the daily lives of the ancient Mesopotamians.
Life in Ancient Mesopotamia
What was life like in ancient Mesopotamia? Find out in this video featuring Oriental Institute Assyriologist Dr. Martha Roth.
Suggested Readings
Frankfort, H. and H.A., John A. Wilson, and Thorkild Jacobsen. Before Philosophy: The Intellectual Adventure of Ancient Man. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1946.
Kramer, Samuel Noah. Cradle of Civilization. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1967.
Roaf, Michael. Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. New York: Facts on File, 1990.
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