Aramaic Terracotta Bowl with Magical Incantation
4th-8th century A.D. With conical body, the inner face bearing concentric rings of inked magical Aramaic text, repaired. Cf. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, accession number: 80.001.0001. 357 grams, 19 cm wide (7 1/2 in.).

Ex Family collection, London, UK, pre 1988.

Aramaic incantation bowls are particular to the Sassanian period and have been found in regions of modern Iraq. These simple ceramic bowls, also known as magic bowls, each contain an Aramaic inscription, written in ink, which spirals from the centre. The bowls seem to have played an important part in domestic life. For example, during excavation in Nippur in 1889, one or more incantation bowls were found in each house together with domestic artefacts, most often in doorways or under floorboards in the corner of rooms. The bowls are predominantly apotropaic, and the inscriptions tend to protect their owners from misfortunes such as those faced in child-birth, illness and evil spirits.