New Books in Religion Korshi Dosoo and Markéta Preininger, "Papyri Copticae Magicae: Coptic Magical Texts, Volume 1: Formularies" (de Gruyter, 2023)
May 23, 2025
Korshi Dosoo, Co-Principal Investigator at the Corpus of Coptic Magical Formularies project, joins to explore the fascinating world of ancient Coptic magical texts. He discusses the practical uses of these texts, from love spells to healing invocations, revealing how they provide a window into the daily lives and concerns of late ancient Egyptians. The conversation delves into the evolution of Coptic language, the interplay between magical traditions and Christianity, and the ongoing efforts to reinterpret these invaluable historical artifacts.
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Understanding the Coptic Language
- Coptic is the latest phase of the Egyptian language, written with a Greek-based alphabet supplemented by Demotic signs.
- It flourished from 4th to 12th centuries Egypt and survives today as a liturgical language of the Coptic Church.
Changes in Late Antique Egypt
- Late antique Egypt saw major religious and political shifts from paganism to Christianity and then Islam.
- Magical texts reveal continuity, transformation, and adaptation across these changes with Christian, pagan, and Islamic elements.
Insight from a Virginity Spell
- A unique magical text protecting a woman's virginity led to exploring celibate marriages and mancratism in 9th century Egypt.
- Texts show intimate, practical reasons behind magical writings linked to real personal and social concerns.