In almost every culture, Magic has historically been used for three things- getting some money, getting some sex and getting someone cursed. The ways in which curses have been preformed as well as the reasons for doing so in the western magical tradition are beyond varied and fascinating. From spitting phlegm at someone in public to throwing a lead tablet down a well to even something as innocuous as a sinister glance, curses have been absolutely effective and show no signs of going anywhere. But what of curses these days, can they still be an appropriate and efficacious form of Magic in a world that no longer believes in them?
Show Notes & Book Reccomendations
- Cursed Are You! The Phenomenology of Cursing in Cuneiform and Hebrew Texts by Anne Marie Kitz
- Execration Texts
- Smithsonian article about Curse Tablet found in June of 2026
- The Selenite and Lead Curse Tablets from Amathous, Cyprus and the Transmission of Magical Technology
- The creation of a Curse Tablet from TV series ROME
- Curse Tablets and Binding Spells from the Ancient World by John G. Gager
- Binding Spells, Curse Tablets & Voodoo Dolls in the Greek and Roman Worlds by Daniel Ogden
- Evil Sleep of Seth
- Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power by Marvin Meyer
- Ancient Christians and the Power of Curses by Laura Salah Nasrallah
- Nithing pole
- The Cunning Man’s Handbook by Jim Baker – Buy this; you need to own it.
- Irish Cursing and the Art of Magic by Thomas Waters
- Mastering Witchcraft: A Practical Guide for Witches, Warlocks, and Covens by Paul Huson
- Joseph H. Peterson’s Twilight Grotto – Esoteric Archives – Buy his books
- The book of spells, hexes, and curses : true tales from around the world by Stuart Gordon
- Curse, Maleficium, divination: Witchcraft on the boarderline of Religion and Magic by Eva Pocs
- The Heroic Present- Life among the Gypsies by Jan Yoors
