Artifacts used for ancient magic rituals discovered on road from Egypt to Mecca

Israeli researchers examining ancient artifacts discovered in the 1990s have concluded recently that the artifacts were likely used for magic rituals 400 years ago. 

Their research was recently published in the Journal of Material Cultures in the Muslim World and analyzed artifacts discovered at an archaeological site in Eilat. 

According to the researchers, Dr. Itamar Taxel of the Israel Antiquities Authority, Dr. Uzi Avner of the Dead Sea-Arava Science Center, and Dr. Nitzan Amitai-Preiss of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the artifacts were employed in magical rituals carried out to ward off the evil eye, heal diseases, and more.

“This discovery reveals that people in the Early Ottoman Period—just as today—consulted popular sorcerers, alongside the formal belief in the official religion," the researchers stated. 

The artifacts were discovered by Moti Shemtov, a resident of Eilat, after which an archaeological excavation was directed at the site by Uzi Avner and Asaf Holzer, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Ritual artifacts 

The findings included dozens of fragments of round clay rattles containing small stones, that made noise when the rattle was shaken and were associated with various rituals and ceremonies.

Also found were two miniature incense altars similar to those used for votive offerings, a small figurine of a naked woman or a goddess with raised hands, a  characteristic feature of deities or priests, additional figurines, and colored quartz pebbles. 

An examination of the clay used for the ceramic artifacts showed that they originated in Egypt. 

This marks the first time that such a large collection of ritual objects of this kind has been found, and what is even more unique is that they were found at a temporary site and not a permanent settlement.

The Pilgrimage Road

The artifacts were found along the Pilgrimage Road, called Darb al-Hajj in Arabic, that led from Cairo, crossed the Sinai Peninsula, continued through the Eilat region to the town of Aqaba, and then crossed the Arabian Peninsula to reach Mecca.

This route was in use from the first centuries after the rise of Islam, from the 7th century CE until the 19th century CE. 

Several camping sites and structures that served travelers on the Pilgrimage Road have been uncovered around the Eilat Mountains, and it seems that they were most commonly in use during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, from the 13th or 14th centuries CE onwards.

“The find-spot of these artifacts next to the camping site, and the comparison of the artifacts to those known in the Muslim world, as well as the fact that these artifacts were found together as a group, lead to the understanding that they were used in magical rituals," said the researchers.

"The artifacts were found broken, and they may even have been purposely broken in the ceremonies. It seems that these rituals were carried out at the site by one or several people who specialized in popular magical ceremonies. From the literary sources, we know that there was a demand for magical rituals among people from different strands of society. Such rituals were carried out daily alongside the formal religious rituals—including in the Muslim world—and it is probable that the pilgrims making their way to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina were no exception."

According to Dr. Omry Barzilai, Southern Regional Archaeologist of the Israel Antiquities Authority, the "Darb el-Haj" road runs through the municipal boundaries of Eilat. 

The road and its adjacent archaeological sites are set to become part of a unique regional area for archaeological tourism promoted by the Ministry of Tourism. 

The Israel Antiquities Authority plans to undertake the development and accessibility of the road and to organize educational activities for the public emphasizing its cultural heritage role.

“In the Israel Antiquities Authority, we make great efforts to research and publish finds from previously unpublished excavations that were carried out in the past," said  Eli Escusido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority.