Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface -- List of Figures -- Notes on Contributors -- 1 Syriac Studies and Magic: An Introduction -- Siam Bhayro and Marco Moriggi -- 2 Syriac Magic: An Overview of Previous Approaches and Prospects for the Future -- Abigail Pearson -- 3 Syriac Magic and Medicine: A Near-Eastern Paradigm of Priestcraft -- Siam Bhayro -- 4 Syriac Incantation Bowls and the Mesopotamian Context: A Glimpse into Christian-Jewish Cultural Interactions -- Marco Moriggi -- 5 More on the 'Book of Protection' and the Syriac 'Charms': New Texts and Perspectives for the Study of Magic and Religion -- Michael Zellmann-Rohrer -- 6 Traces of a Storied Universe : Biblical Figures and Motifs in Late-Antique Syriac Amulets -- Nils H. Korsvoll -- 7 Soundings in the Textual History of Syriac Amulets -- David Calabro -- 8 Syriac Magic and the Contemporary Christian Milieu: Continuity or Discontinuity? -- Gaby Abousamra -- 9 A Mandaean Lamella and Its Parallels: BM  132957 + BM  132947 + BM  132954 -- Matthew Morgenstern and Ohad Abudraham -- Index of Subjects -- Index of Texts.

The study of the Syriac magical traditions has largely been marginalised within Syriac studies, with the earliest treatments displaying a disparaging attitude towards both the culture and its magical practices. Despite significant progress in more recent scholarship in respect of the culture, its magical practices and their associated literatures remain on the margins of the scholarly imagination. This volume aims to open a discussion on the history of the field, to evaluate how things have progressed, and to suggest a fruitful way forward. In doing so, this volume demonstrates the incredible riches contained within the Syriac magical traditions, and the necessity of their study.

Description based on print version record.