Curse of the Romans
Posted by Sane Spirit on Thursday, August 30, 2012
Under: In the News
Experts believe it would have been used by Romans to cast spells on people accused of theft and other misdeeds.
The tablets, which have been found throughout Europe, were rolled up to conceal their inscriptions, then hidden in places considered to be close to the underworld, such as graves, springs or wells.
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He said it is difficult to date the tablet but believes it was made in the third century AD.
Dr Roger Tomlin Dr Roger Tomlin said the tablet is likely to date from the third century AD
"Lists of names are quite often found on lead tablets," he said. "Sometimes they accompany a complaint of theft addressed to a god, and name persons suspected of the theft.
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The tablet's significance also lies in the fact that Romans were the first inhabitants of Britain who could read or write.
This means the tablet, along with other similar items, are among the earliest written records of British life.
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He added: "If this is a curse tablet, which it seems to be, it is presumably a product of its local community - so it is a reasonable guess that the persons named on it lived there."
Roman 'curse tablet' found in Kent
The tablets, which have been found throughout Europe, were rolled up to conceal their inscriptions, then hidden in places considered to be close to the underworld, such as graves, springs or wells.
[,,,]
He said it is difficult to date the tablet but believes it was made in the third century AD.
Dr Roger Tomlin Dr Roger Tomlin said the tablet is likely to date from the third century AD
"Lists of names are quite often found on lead tablets," he said. "Sometimes they accompany a complaint of theft addressed to a god, and name persons suspected of the theft.
[,,,]
The tablet's significance also lies in the fact that Romans were the first inhabitants of Britain who could read or write.
This means the tablet, along with other similar items, are among the earliest written records of British life.
[,,,]
He added: "If this is a curse tablet, which it seems to be, it is presumably a product of its local community - so it is a reasonable guess that the persons named on it lived there."
Roman 'curse tablet' found in Kent
In : In the News