My oath

The museum is in a nice old villa build around a courtyard.
One type of fascinating article on display are these lead sheets called "defixiones", from the Latin verb defigere, (stab immobilise nail down.)
They have been half-inched from the sanctuary of Demeter Malophoros at Selinunte, where they had been deposited 2700 years ago.
Originally they would have been folded up, had pins stuck through them and then been placed in contact with the infernal cthonic divinities, who were sometimes named as guarantors.
By now you may have guessed what was written on them.
Curses.
Thousands have been found, usually relating to love affairs desired or thwarted, and judiciary disputes. Included was the name of the target, (sometimes only that,) incomprehensible signs suggesting magical associations and details of what is supposed to happen. Some of them clearly have a structure as if copied from a catalogue or handbook on cursing.

Maybe this explains the expressions on the faces of the 3 citizens?Read more