A Roman curse tablet found in the Netherlands revealed magical practices from the 2nd century
To analyze the piece, researchers from the Institute of Papyrology at Heidelberg University used the Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) technique.
This method combines multiple photographs taken under different lighting conditions. Thanks to this procedure, it was possible to identify details that could not be observed with the naked eye.
A Roman tablet discovered in the Netherlands was deciphered by researchers from Heidelberg University. The find provides new information about the expansion of magical practices in the Roman Empire during the 2nd century.
The inscription is written in ancient Greek and was found in Heerlen, an ancient Roman military settlement. Specialists consider it an exceptional piece for northern Europe.
The Roman tablet was found during archaeological excavations in Heerlen, in the Netherlands. The site corresponds to the ancient Roman settlement of Coriovallum, located in the province of Lower Germania.
The object measures only 9.3 by 4.8 centimeters and was buried as part of a ritual intended to invoke supernatural forces against a person.
According to Heidelberg University, the piece contains an inscription in ancient Greek that invokes deities and demons linked to the Egyptian magical tradition.
Experts highlighted that most of the curse tablets found in northern Europe were written in Latin. In this case, the use of ancient Greek makes the discovery an archaeological rarity.
These pieces, known as defixiones in Latin and katadesmoi in Greek, were usually made of lead. In ancient times, it was believed that this material had properties to "bind" or link the victims of the spells.
The curses could be related to legal disputes, sports competitions, commercial rivalries, or personal relationships.
The analysis allowed the detection of three distinct groups of characters, in addition to three magical symbols known as characteres, used to communicate with divine or demonic powers.
The inscription mentions four people: two men and two women, identified as slaves.
As explained by Rodney Ast, academic director of the Institute of Papyrology, the curse could have been directed against these individuals or used to invoke a supernatural punishment against an individual whose name does not appear in the text.
The researchers also observed that the men had Latin names, while the women had Greek names. This detail reflects the cultural diversity present within the Roman Empire.
The researchers indicated that the Roman curse tablet will be publicly exhibited at the Heerlen Museum.
Additionally, a complete academic study will be published with the inscription and its interpretation, so that specialists from around the world can analyze this unique archaeological find.
