Greek Magical Papyri

At a glance

History, context & interpretation

The text and its story

Spells for love, protection, dream-sending and calling gods and daimons, blending Egyptian, Greek and Jewish elements. They are a key source for the history of magic.

Traditional attribution

Working spellbooks of Egyptian magicians.

Historical scholarship

Anonymous ritual specialists; many came from one hoard bought by the dealer Anastasi in the 1820s.

Context and curiosity

One ritual, the 'Mithras Liturgy', describes ascending through the heavens.

Chronology and transmission

This text belongs to Hermetic, Magical & Mysterious (Greco-Roman Egypt). The catalogue gives its approximate dating as c. 2nd century BCE – 5th century CE and original language or script as Greek, Demotic, Coptic. The dated manuscript witnesses and traditional claims may not refer to the same historical event.

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Sources and further reading

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_Magical_Papyri

Historical descriptions are educational summaries. Religious traditions, scholarly interpretations and unverified claims are distinguished where possible; imagery may be illustrative rather than an artifact photograph.