The Dirt Diaries The Cursed Well of Athens: Ancient Magic and Curses 2300 years Later
Oct 15, 2025
Discover the intriguing world of curses buried in a 2,500-year-old well in Athens! Uncover the motives behind ancient spells of jealousy and love, and learn how wells were linked to the underworld. Find out about cursed dolls and the fascinating materials used in these tablets. Explore the legal and social attitudes towards magic in ancient society. Delve into the chilling story of Glycara and her curse, revealing scandalous relationships and desires. What do these ancient rituals tell us about the people of Athens?
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Cursed Tablets Found In A Well
- The 30 lead tablets were found at the bottom of a 2,500-year-old well in Kerameikos, Athens.
- These finds expand known cursing contexts beyond graves into public wells used as underworld drop-off points.
Kerameikos As A Longstanding Curse Hotspot
- Many of the site's earlier curse finds were graves, not wells, and publication lagged decades.
- Kerameikos yielded roughly 80 tablets and four curse dolls across excavations since 1912.
Only Specific Wells Held Curses
- Only two wells at the site (B1 and B34) have produced lead tablets among 44 known wells.
- The B34 well from a bathhouse yielded the recent 30-tablet assemblage, highlighting localized deposition choices.