DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14140#0039
31
OBJECTS IN TABLE CASE A.
MISCELLANEOUS ANTIQUITIES.
No 1. Bronze nail, inscribed on its four sides with an
incantation in barbarous Latin addressed to God, Solomon,
and Artemis (Artmix). In the magic of the middle ages,
the name of Solomon is constantly used in conjurations.
Annali d. Inst. Arch. Bom. 1846, tav. d'agg. h, p. 214;
Jahn, Berichte Sachs. Gesell. d. Wissen. 1855, p. 107.
Bequeathed by Sir William Temple.
No. 2. Bronze nail with Latin inscription on three
sides; on one side occurs the name of Solomon. Jahn,
ibid. p. 108, No. 2.
No. 3. Bronze nail with magic figures and inscribed on
three sides with Greek characters. Castellani. Jahn, ibid,
p. 109, No. 4.
No. 4. Bronze nail with Gnostic figures and Greek
inscription. Castellani. Jahn, ibid. p. 109, No. 5.
No. 5. Lead tablet inscribed with a magical impre-
cation (defixio = KaraSecr/xos) against Valeria Codratilla
(Quadratilla), but for what offence cannot be made out.
Annali d. Inst. Arch. Bom. 1846, p. 203, tav. d'agg. c. ;
C. I. No. 5858''. Cumce. Bequeathed by Sir William Temple.
No. 6. Leaden tablets from Knidos, on which are in-
scribed imprecations (dirce) directed against several per-
sons for offences specified. Such maledictory inscriptions
(defixiones or KaraSecr/Aoi) formed part of the system of
ancient magic, and are alluded to by Blato. Such were
the carmina et devotiones which, according to Tacitus (Ann.
ii. 69), were found concealed in the walls and floor of the
house of Germanicns after his death, and which Biso is
supposed to have placed there. The offences denounced
on the Knidian tablets are, bearing false witness, slander,
the non-restitution of deposits, theft, using false weights,
and the seduction of a husband's affections. The persons
so offending are solemnly devotee! to punishment in a
future life, by the formula, " May they not find Demeter
and the other infernal deities propitious." A clause is
always added, deprecating all evil consequences to the
author of the curse. Nearly all the dedicators are women.
These inscriptions are all written in the Doric dialect,
and contain many errors in grammar and orthography,
OBJECTS IN TABLE CASE A.
MISCELLANEOUS ANTIQUITIES.
No 1. Bronze nail, inscribed on its four sides with an
incantation in barbarous Latin addressed to God, Solomon,
and Artemis (Artmix). In the magic of the middle ages,
the name of Solomon is constantly used in conjurations.
Annali d. Inst. Arch. Bom. 1846, tav. d'agg. h, p. 214;
Jahn, Berichte Sachs. Gesell. d. Wissen. 1855, p. 107.
Bequeathed by Sir William Temple.
No. 2. Bronze nail with Latin inscription on three
sides; on one side occurs the name of Solomon. Jahn,
ibid. p. 108, No. 2.
No. 3. Bronze nail with magic figures and inscribed on
three sides with Greek characters. Castellani. Jahn, ibid,
p. 109, No. 4.
No. 4. Bronze nail with Gnostic figures and Greek
inscription. Castellani. Jahn, ibid. p. 109, No. 5.
No. 5. Lead tablet inscribed with a magical impre-
cation (defixio = KaraSecr/xos) against Valeria Codratilla
(Quadratilla), but for what offence cannot be made out.
Annali d. Inst. Arch. Bom. 1846, p. 203, tav. d'agg. c. ;
C. I. No. 5858''. Cumce. Bequeathed by Sir William Temple.
No. 6. Leaden tablets from Knidos, on which are in-
scribed imprecations (dirce) directed against several per-
sons for offences specified. Such maledictory inscriptions
(defixiones or KaraSecr/Aoi) formed part of the system of
ancient magic, and are alluded to by Blato. Such were
the carmina et devotiones which, according to Tacitus (Ann.
ii. 69), were found concealed in the walls and floor of the
house of Germanicns after his death, and which Biso is
supposed to have placed there. The offences denounced
on the Knidian tablets are, bearing false witness, slander,
the non-restitution of deposits, theft, using false weights,
and the seduction of a husband's affections. The persons
so offending are solemnly devotee! to punishment in a
future life, by the formula, " May they not find Demeter
and the other infernal deities propitious." A clause is
always added, deprecating all evil consequences to the
author of the curse. Nearly all the dedicators are women.
These inscriptions are all written in the Doric dialect,
and contain many errors in grammar and orthography,