Incantatory Cup Mesopotamia 500 To 700 Ad

Incantatory cup, inscribed in the heart of the receptacle in Mandaean writing, (Mandaean Aramaic dialect), The text is here represented in a spiral from the bottom of the cup, it is slightly erased in places due to some deposits, wear of the time and a small crack (it nevertheless reveals itself in Wood's lamp). The Aramaic communities of Mesopotamia are the heirs of ancient beliefs dating back to Akkadian and even Sumerian texts, according to which demons were of an inexhaustible variety. The Mandaean, because of his dualistic faith, believes in evil spirits, whose harmful action he fears. Magic is therefore an essential aspect of his religious life. This practice, consisting of burying the cups thus inscribed in the four corners of the house, was widespread among the various religious communities of Mesopotamia until the Muslim conquest and beyond. Its essential function was to protect the inhabitants of the house and to repel demons and evil spirits. Beige terracotta with brown decoration (inscriptions), internal cracks and small fillings on the reverse, see photos Near East, Mesopotamia 500 to 700 AD Dimensions: diameter 14 height 6 cm Provenance: Michel Bouvier, Paris, (invoice dated 26 July 2007) Former Francois Letailleur collection, Paris. Francois Letailleur is a collector passionate about writing, in all its forms, from cuneiform to calligraphy and hieroglyphics. This passion led him to focus on Lettrism, an avant-garde movement theorized in 1946 by Isidore Isou and Gabriel Pomerand, which focuses not on the meaning of words but on the poetry of sounds. A group of which François Letillieur is today the greatest collector and connoisseur in the world. (le Monde, Roxana Azimi, Published on August 11, 2017) * Shipping costs on estimate