Description
Book SynopsisDraws on objects excavated or discovered in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century at three Mediterranean sites. Through the three case studies,
Materia Magica identifies specific forms of magic that may be otherwise unknown. Andrew T. Wilburn discovers magic in the objects of ancient daily life, suggesting that individuals frequently turned to magic, particularly in crises.
Trade Review[Wilburn] has produced an important book that represents the first programmatic application of archaeology to the study of ancient magic.""—Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists
""Materia Magica is a circumspect and original study. Wilburn effectively incorporates previous scholarship on ancient magic as well as related work, most notably that of Mark Leone and Gladys-Marie Fry on African-American 'conjure.' His characterization of magic as 'big business' (200), heterogeneous (217), and dependent on gossip and partial revelation (214, 262) is especially astute... Materia Magica is an important volume, but one that does not constitute—or presuppose to constitute—the last word on its subject. Because of its unique focus on material components, it is indispensable to scholars of ancient magic. It is also suitable for graduate and advanced undergraduate students in classics, history, and archaeology.""--
American Journal of Archaeology
