Curses

A **Curse** is any expressed ritual or prayer that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to some other entity: one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, it refers to a pronouncement made effective by a supernatural or spiritual power, such as a god or gods, a spirit, or a natural force, or else as a kind of spell by magic or witchcraft.

### Curse Tablet

One way to enact a curse is through the concept of a curse tablet. In Ancient Mesopotamia and the Levant, bowls were used. They had cursing spells directed at an individual inscibed upon them, only to be shattered, as to ritually enact the curse. The more popular form of the curse tablet is found in the Greco-Roman world. This tablet is a sheet of metal carved with a Latin or Greek spell, which is to buried near the person that is to be cursed, or a location of spiritual significance. This is a sample text which can be potentially written to cause "ruin to fall upon him and his house": *MALEDICAM* (the name of whom is to be curse) *ET EIUS VITA ET MENS ET MEMORIA ET IECORIS ET PULMONIS ET VERBA EIUS ET COGITATIONES EIUS ET OMNIA FACIT SI IPSE EST REUS ITA UT IPSE REDDATUR MALEDICTUS UT UTINAM*.

### Hex Bag and Effigy

A hex bag is a charm composed of a mixture of herbs, talismans, and other supernatural ingredients, placed in a piece of cloth and bound with leather. One method of creating such a charm is described here: *If placed in the pocket of a man or under his bed, he shall be cursed to suffer. The bag is made with a piece of cloth. Within it are placed small bones, a talisman, drops of essential oils, plant matter, and the hair of the person who is to be hexed. The corners of the cloth are brought together and bound with twine and a covering of leather. To have power over what spell the bag transmits, there is the effigy. It is created as a figurine with the hair of the person who is to be hexed. A talisman identical to the one in the bag is to be bound to the figure. For as long as the hex bag is in the presence of the individual, whatever is done to the effigy shall be done to them.*

### Babylonian Curse

An example of a curse which is uttered can be found in the Maqlu, an ancient text of spells from Chaldea. It is known as the *Utterance Invoking Night the Veiled Bride*, or the *Binding of Sorcerers*: “*Alsi ku nushi ilani mushiti Itti kunu alsi mushitum kallatum kuttumtum Alsi bararitum qablitum u namaritum Ashshu kashshaptu u kashshipanni Eli nitum ubbiraanni Ili-ia u Ishtari-ia ushis-su-u-eli-ia Eli ameri-ia amru-usanaku Imdikula salalu musha u urra Qu-u imtana-allu-u pi-ia Upu unti pi-ia iprusu Me mashtiti-ia umattu-u Eli li nubu-u xiduti si-ipdi Izizanimma ilani rabuti shima-a dababi Dini dina alakti limda Epu-ush salam kashshapi-ia u kashshapti-ia Sha epishia u mushtepishti-ia Is mass-ssarati sha mushi lipshuru ruxisha limnuti Pisha lu-u ZAL.LU Lishanusha Lu-u Tabtu Sha iqbu-u amat limutti-ia kima ZAL.LU litta-tuk Sha ipushu kishpi kima Tabti lishxarmit qi-ishrusha pu-uttu-ru ipshetusha xulluqu Kal amatusha malla-a sseri Ina qibit iqbu-u ilani mushitum.*”

### Curse Box

To protect one's self from a curse, many turn to amulets or charms, such as the Evil Eye (Nazar). However, when an object is cursed, properly dealing with the negative energy is a bit more difficult. Objects are cursed by blood or tragedy, for the restless soul of those lost upon it are bound by it. Disaster and misfortune they bring, and thus, to burn a cursed object is to cease such plagues, for by fire are spirit released from the earth. But if the object cannot be destroyed by flames or one does not seek to destroy the object and rather preserve it while suffering no effect of its ill will, a curse box is to be created. A curse box is a specialized container meant to hold a cursed object while neutralizing its power (such as Pandora's Box). Most boxes will work, but upon it, runes and sigils are to be drawn, like the Seal of Solomon or Helm of Awe.