incantation bowl

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Object Type
Museum number: 91763
Description: Pottery incantation bowl: hemispherical bowl with simple rim; wheel-thrown; bitumen applied around the rim; inscribed in spiral from centre outwards. Aramaic text. The writer of this counter-charm displays Jewish influence with quotations from the Bible. The text seems to contain Arabisms. The client is Maḥlefa son of Batšittin; his adversaries are named as Mar Zuṭra son of Ukkamay and Nawah daughter of Ayna.
Cultures/periods
Production date: 6thC-8thC
Production place: Made in: Iraq, South
Findspot: Found/Acquired: Iraq
Materials: pottery; bitumen
Technique
Dimensions: Diameter: 15 centimetres; Depth: 5.30 centimetres
$Inscriptions
Inscription subject
Curator's comments: The rim was covered in bitumen in antiquity in order to secure it to the mouth of a second incantation bowl. This practice is evident on a number of other separated incantation bowls, and recorded 'in situ' by Pognon: see BM 91763, 91764, 91771, all Aramaic. Note that this bowl and BM 91771 are for the same client, thus must have been found together. Same adversary name in the inscription as on 91767, suggesting those come from the same site or context.
Bibliographic references: Segal 2000a / Catalogue of the Aramaic and Mandaic Incantation Bowls in the British Museum (041A); Müller-Kessler C 2001/02 / Die Zauberschalensammlung des British Museum (p.129)
Location: Not on display
Exhibition history: Exhibited: 1999 18 May-30 Sep, London, Jewish Museum, Jewish Magic
Condition: Fair
Associated names: Named in inscription: Korah; Named in inscription: Dathan; Named in inscription: Abiram; Named in inscription: Kabshiel; Named in inscription: Bethel; Named in inscription: Abiel; Named in inscription: Bakiel; Named in inscription: Archangel Gabriel; Named in inscription: Michael; Named in inscription: Habriel; Named in inscription: Shekintiel; Named in inscription: Jacob
Associated places: Named in inscription: Gehenna; Named in inscription: Sodom; Named in inscription: Gomorrah; Named in inscription: Sheol
Acquisition date: 1886
Department: Middle East
BM/Big number: 91763
Registration number: 1886,0109.10
Additional IDs: Miscellaneous number: 041A (siglum); Miscellaneous number: 33 (exhibition number (black)); Miscellaneous number: 937 (exhibition number (red))

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