The lived experience of individuals from Late Antique and Early Islamic Egypt is the subject of this study. By focusing on Christian ritual texts for private use written in Coptic, this book gives voice to those whose lives the ancient manuscripts reflect, revealing how they used ritual practices and amulets to navigate fear, health, and social conflicts. Reconstructing various "bodies"âfrom the social, female to the divineâthe book explores the intersection of ritual action and bodily metaphor. This volume offers a unique, intimate glimpse into the lived religion and private lives of a long-lost world.
This book is of interest for libraries and institutes of Egyptology, Coptic Studies, Ancient History, and Religious Studies. It targets specialists and postgraduates interested in ancient magic, embodiment, and Late Antique history.