Archaeologists have discovered an ancient curse containing the names of enemies and demons

In the Roman world, such objects were known as defixiones — ‘binding tablets’. They were used against rivals, enemies, parties to legal disputes, romantic rivals or other people whom one wished to hinder. The tablet from Herlen dates from the 2nd century AD; it was found during excavations at Raadhuisplein, on the site of the ancient Roman settlement of Coriovalum.

The most unusual aspect is the language. In Northern Europe, such curses were usually written in Latin, but the text on this tablet is in Ancient Greek and is linked to the Egyptian magical tradition.

Details

The tablet is made of lead. It is small—9.3 by 4.8 cm—meaning it fits easily in the palm of one’s hand. Lead was not chosen at random for such rituals: it is soft, heavy, cold to the touch and well-suited for inscribing text. In ancient times, it was also believed to possess ‘binding’ properties.

The research was carried out by specialists at the Institute of Papyrology at Heidelberg University. They established that the tablet bears a magical text in Greek, small drawings or symbols, and a list of names.

The purpose of such tablets was simple and grim: a person would write down names, incantations and invocations to supernatural forces, and then hide the tablet in the ground, a pit, a grave, a well or another ‘transitional’ place. It was believed that this would convey a request to the gods, spirits or demons and ‘bind’ the victim — depriving them of their strength, luck, voice, love or victory.

Why the find is rare

Such finds are extremely rare in the Netherlands and Belgium. And a tablet with Greek text is an even more unusual occurrence. Most similar curses in the northern provinces of the Roman Empire were written in Latin.

This is precisely why the find from Heerlen is significant not merely as a ‘scary ancient artefact’. It shows that even on the distant northern fringes of the Roman Empire, different religious and magical traditions could intermingle: Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Middle Eastern and others.

For archaeologists, this is a trace not of the official history of emperors and wars, but of everyday life. Someone lived in a Roman town, quarrelled, felt afraid, was jealous, competed — and at some point decided not simply to complain, but to turn to magic.

Who were they trying to curse?

According to preliminary data, the tablet lists the names of several people. Reports on the discovery mention a list of names following magical formulas and symbols. The summary of the research also notes that those named may have included both men and women, possibly associated with the status of slaves or dependent persons.

However, caution is required here. The full academic publication with the final decipherment has yet to be presented, so it would be wrong to claim that all the details are already fully understood. For now, the reliable conclusion is this: the tablet features an ancient Greek magical text, symbols and people’s names, and it is linked to a ritual of cursing or ‘binding’.

Why this is important

Such tablets show that magic in the Roman world was not merely the preserve of temples, priests or myths. Ordinary people could use it when they wished to seek justice, take revenge, defeat a rival or influence someone else’s fate.

Today this sounds like mysticism, but for people in antiquity, such a ritual could have been a practical tool. If conventional methods failed, they would turn to forces they considered invisible but effective.

The find from Herlen is particularly valuable in that it brings together several layers at once: a Roman city, the Greek language, the Egyptian style of magical invocations, and the names of people who lived almost two thousand years ago.

Background

Herlen stands on the site of the ancient Roman settlement of Coriovalum. This was a settlement in the province of Lower Germany, situated on an important route through Roman territory. During excavations in the area of the modern-day square, archaeologists found traces of ancient urban life, including a lead tablet bearing a curse.

Roman curse tablets are known from various parts of the former empire. They may have been used in matters relating to the courts, sport, love, theft, rivalry and personal conflicts. Sometimes they contained clear requests; at other times, strange magical words, symbols and names intended to imbue the text with power.

Source

The main details are based on reports of the find in Herlen and research by specialists at the Institute of Papyrology at Heidelberg University. The tablet dates from the 2nd century AD, is made of lead and contains a Greek magical text, symbols and a list of names.