Photo Gallery: Antioch Artifacts

Back to Photo Gallery | Back to Article |

View Larger |

Previous | Next

A curse tablet engraved on lead and pierced with an iron nail, from the late fifth or early sixth century AD. This was found rolled up in a drain along the central barrier and turning post of the Antioch hippodrome.

This tablet has not been unrolled, but is probably related to chariot racing, as it was found in a hippodrome and next to this unrolled curse tablet. In some cases (as in this one) a ritual piercing with a nail, designed to seal or lock the spell into place, was performed prior to during placement of the curse tablet.

Curses and binding spells were quite popular in ancient Antioch, especially at the chariot races. The hippodrome at Antioch, connected to the imperial palace (as shown in this mosaic), was one of the largest and most important in the East. To impress their emperor, charioteers would try to make their rivals' chariots overturn directly opposite the imperial box, and a curse tablet was one of the methods for accomplishing this.

By the end of the fourth century, chariot racing had been transformed from a contest of horses and drivers to one of magicians. All this was a risky business, as magic was against Roman law and severely punished. The Blue and Green factions, mentioned in this curse, were imperially sponsored organizations that took over the staging of public entertainment in the East in the fifth century AD; less curse tablets were found after this time than before.

See the amulet photo and description for measures taken to protect oneself against curses.

Princeton University Art Museum, inv. 3603-I57.