Universität Wien

090107 SE Magic, amulets and superstition in Late Antique and Early Christian periods (2018W)

6.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 9 - Altertumswissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 15 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Wednesday 10.10. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 17.10. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 24.10. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 31.10. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 07.11. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 14.11. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 21.11. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 28.11. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 05.12. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 12.12. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 09.01. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG
  • Wednesday 16.01. 14:15 - 15:45 Seminarraum d. Inst. f. Klassische Archäologie Franz-Klein-Gasse 1.OG

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The word phylacterium – to protect was used in the Early Christian and in the Byzantine context to describe a wide range of objects. Sources point out that a amulets could be a religious object as for example cross, an icon, a holy book or a pilgrim vessel. Yet, simple everyday objects in many cases acquired special apotropaic and healing properties through Christian worship, such as, for example, the consecrated oil, or soil, stones collected at martyrial shrines, were also considered amulets. Thus objects of personal devotion were widely spread among the local society some even bore pagan imagery. The seminar will cover the aspects connected to the use of magic in daily life in the 4th -8th centuries according to visual and written sources, It will also consider the iconography of the amulets and the contexts of discovery.

Assessment and permitted materials

Students will be required to choose a theme from a list of subjects for a presentation and must submit a paper (minimum 20 pages).

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

regular and active participation 40% - presentation 30% - paper to be submitted at the end 30%
Participation is required and only missing two/three lectures is allowed.

Examination topics

active participation - presentation - written paper

Reading list

C.Bonner, Studies in Magical Amulets Chiefly Graeco-Egyptian, (University of Michigan Studies: Humanistic Series 49) Ann Arbor 1950
P. Brown, Sorcery, Demons, and the Rise of Christianity from Late Antiquity into the Middle Ages, in M. Douglas (ed.): Witchcraft, Confessions and Accusations, London 1970. 17-45.
J. Engemann, Zur Verbreitung magischer Übelabwehr in der nichtchristlichen und christlichen Spätantike, JAC 18, 1975, pp. 22-48.
V. A. Foskolou, The Magic of the Written word: the Evidence of Inscriptions on Byzantine Magical Amulets, in Deltion of the Christian Archaeological Society 35 (2014), pp. 329-348.

H. Maguire (ed.), Byzantine Magic, Dumbarton Oaks 2009.

J. Russell, The Evil Eye in Early Byzantine Society, XVI. Internationaler Byzantinistenkongress, Wien 1981, Akten II/3 (JÖByz, 32, 3), Wien 1982, pp. 539-548.
G. Vikan, Art, Medicine and Magic in Early Byzantium, DOP 38, 1984, pp. 65-86.

Association in the course directory

Anrechenbar: im BA für frühchristliche Arch.
im BA: APM früh, gr. u. kl. Vertiefung, BM;
im MA: nicht anrechenbar!

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:31