| Archive name: | Aban Gušmis Incantation Bowl Dossier |
Trismegistos Archive ID: 
Page on the database Trismegistos Collections for the archive. |
|
| Date:
Dates are CE unless preceded by a minus sign <->, in which case they are BCE. |
501 – 800 |
| Provenance: | Tell Ibrahim (Kutha), South Iraq (Mesopotamia) |
| Trismegistos Place ID:
Page on the database Trismegistos Places for the place of provenance. |
8 |
| Manuscripts: | KYP M3797 3798 |
| Classification: | These incantations bowls may comprise a “dossier”, meaning that they were created for the same ancient person, Aban Gušmis (or Gušnas). The bowls are also written by the same scribe. |
| Description: | Two incantation bowls for protecting a man named Aban Gušmis (or Gušnas), son of Anošafrit (אבאן גושמיס בר אנושפרית), and his wife Lalay (לאלי) from curses and demons. |
| Acquisition: | The two bowls were excavated by Hormuzd Rassam in Tell Ibrahim (Kutha), South Iraq (Mesopotamia). The British Museum acquired both bowls in 1881. |
| Dating: | The British Museum collection website lists all the bowls as having been written between the sixth and eighth century. |
| Language/dialect: | The two bowls are written in Jewish Aramaic. |
| Materiality/composition: | The two bowls were written by the same hand, and are both in fair condition, only CAMIB 15A has a damaged rim. They are around 12.4-16.1 cm in diameter, and 3.9-4 cm high. |
| Content: | These two bowls both contain formulae for the protection of a man named Aban Gušmis (or Gušnas), son of Anošafrit (אבאן גושמיס בר אנושפרית) from curses and demons. CAMIB 15 is also for the protection of his wife Lalay (לאלי). CAMIB 16 is for the protection of his household and does not contain Lalay’s name. |
| Discussion: | |
| Bibliography: |
Müller-Kessler C. “Die Zauberschalensammlung des British Museum”, in Archiv für Orientforschung, 48/49, 121, 015A-016A. |
| Edit History: | Information created by AS during the digitisation of the “Prosopography of magic bowls” by Ortal-Paz Saar, entered by KD (23/6/2022) |