p> A fiery ancient curse inscribed on two sides of a thin lead tablet was meant to afflict, not a king or pharaoh, but a simple greengrocer selling fruits and vegetables some 1,700 years ago in the ...

Curse tablets were popular and widely used in the ancient world. The corresponding incantations were often inscribed or carved on thin sheets of lead – with the intention that these would then cause ...

Archaeologists working in Serbia have discovered tiny parchments of gold and silver inscribed with what appears to be a series of ancient curses. The curse tablets were found alongside human skeletons ...

You know the feeling, hearing about a talk or lecture which you know you cannot miss. There it was, an email invitation which said, “Join us for a presentation by Jessica Lamont, Yale University, on ...

Israeli authorities have seized hundreds of ancient artefacts, including "magic" bowls decorated with "spells," from a property in Jerusalem. The raid was conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority ...

A fiery ancient curse inscribed on two sides of a thin lead tablet was meant to afflict not a king or pharaoh, but a simple green grocer selling fruits and vegetables some 1,700 years ago in the city ...

At a time when black magic was relatively common, two curses involving snakes were cast, one targeting a senator and the other an animal doctor, says a Spanish researcher who has just deciphered the 1 ...

Katie has a PhD in maths, specializing in the intersection of dynamical systems and number theory. She reports on topics from maths and history to society and animals. Katie has a PhD in maths, ...