Monday, June 14, 2021

More on that evil-eye amulet

NAUGHTY APOTROPAIC AMULET: New Discovery Highlights How Jews and Christians Were Once Naughty with Magic (Candida Moss, Daily Beast/Yahoo News).
While the amulet was certainly used to protect the wearer from hostile supernatural forces, and for most people this will be news, the IAA’s framing of the discovery as novel is overstated. The collection of images shown attacking the evil eye on the amulet is remarkably similar to a mosaic from ancient Antioch.
I didn't know that. The link in the quote leads to a post at Dr. Bond's blog. You can see an image of the "House of the Evil Eye" mosaic there.

Professor Moss also discusses the challenges for establishing the provenance of the object.

Background here.

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