MAGIC BOWL Terracotta and black paint H. 6.5 cm; Diam. 17 cm Near East, 5th-6th century Provenance European private collection, acquired from R. Deutsch, Archaeological Center, in the 2000s A hemispherical turned ceramic apotropaic incantation bowl with regular sides and a single lip, decorated on the inside with a spiral pseudo-inscription in black or brown ink, accompanied in the centre by a figurative representation of a horse and a male figure. The text, arranged in concentric registers from the edge to the centre in a centripetal composition, features graphemes reminiscent of Aramaic or other Semitic scripts, without constituting a truly decipherable text - it is a symbolic magic script in which the visual appearance of the writing takes precedence over its legibility.The presence of the central equestrian figure is of key importance in Mesopotamian magical iconography: the rider can represent either a demon being trampled or dominated (often Lilith or other evil spirits linked to illness and nightmares), or a protective hero or warrior angel defeating the forces of evil. This iconography has its roots in ancient Babylonian traditions and is perpetuated in Eastern Christian art with the figures of Saint George slaying the dragon or celestial horsemen. These magical bowls (incantation bowls or demon bowls), which were mass-produced in Mesopotamia and Sassanid Persia between the 3rd and 8th centuries, were essential apotropaic objects in the daily lives of Jews, Christians, Mandeans and Zoroastrians. Buried under the thresholds of houses, in the corners of rooms or under floors, and often arranged upside down to 'imprison' evil entities, they protected homes and their occupants against demons, the evil eye, disease, nightmares and all other harmful influences.The spiral layout of the text, turning from the outside towards the centre where the figure is located, symbolised the progressive enclosure of evil in the bowl, trapped at the heart of the spiral as if in a magical vortex, surrounded by the incantation formulas and dominated by the victorious central figure. The pseudo-inscriptions - graphics that imitate writing without constituting a legible text - bear witness to production aimed at illiterate populations for whom the appearance of sacred writing was enough to confer magical power, or to a deliberate desire to create a mystical script that was incomprehensible to humans but effective in the spiritual world.These objects were commissioned from specialist scribes or itinerant magical practitioners who adapted their productions - from bowls bearing complex Aramaic incantations to symbolic pseudo-writings, with or without figurative representations - to the financial means and educational level of their clientele. Thousands of these bowls have been discovered during archaeological excavations in Iraq (Babylon, Nippur, Seleucia-Ctesiphon), Iran (Susa) and Syria, revealing a syncretic magical practice combining ancient Babylonian beliefs, rabbinic Judaism, Eastern Christianity and Persian Zoroastrianism in the multicultural melting pot of Sassanid Mesopotamia. A Near-Eastern Terracotta with pseudo-inscription Magical Bowl. 5th-6th century A.D. Apotropaic incantation bowl in wheel-thrown pottery of hemispherical form with regular walls and simple rim, adorned on the interior with a spiral pseudo-inscription traced in black or brown ink, accompanied at the centre by a figural representation depicting a horse and a male figure. The text, arranged in concentric registers from the rim toward the centre in a centripetal composition, presents graphemes evoking Aramaic or other Semitic scripts without constituting actually decipherable text-it is symbolic magical writing where the visual appearance of script takes precedence over its legibility. The presence of the central equestrian figure holds crucial importance in Mesopotamian magical iconography: the rider may represent either a trampled or dominated demon (often Lilith or other malevolent spirits associated with diseases and nightmares), or a protective hero or warrior angel vanquishing evil forces. This iconography finds its roots in ancient Babylonian traditions and continues in Eastern Christian art with figures of Saint George slaying the dragon or celestial horsemen. The horse, an animal of war and power, symbolises the force capable of subduing or expelling demonic entities. These magic bowls (incantation bowls or demon bowls), mass-produced in Mesopotamia and Sasanian Persia between the 3rd and 8th centuries, constituted essential apotropaic objects in the daily life of Jewish, Christian, Mandaean, and Zoroastrian populations. Buried under house thresholds, in room corners, or beneath floors, often placed upside down to "imprison" malevolent entities, they protected dwellings and their occupants against demons, the evil eye, diseases, nightmares, and all harmful influences. The spiral arrangement of text, rotating from outside toward the centre where the figure is located, symbolized the progressive confinement of evil within the bowl, trapped at the heart of the spiral as in a magical vortex, encircled by incantation formulas and dominated by the victorious central figure. Pseudo-inscriptions-graphisms imitating writing without constituting legible text-testify either to production destined for illiterate populations for whom the appearance of sacred writing sufficed to confer magical power, or to a deliberate intention to create mystical writing incomprehensible to humans but effective in the spiritual world. These objects were commissioned from specialized scribes or itinerant magical practitioners who adapted their productions-from bowls bearing genuine complex Aramaic incantations to symbolic pseudo-writings, with or without figural representations-to their clientele's financial means and education level. Thousands of these bowls have been discovered during archaeological excavations in Iraq (Babylon, Nippur, Seleucia-Ctesiphon), Iran (Susa), and Syria, revealing a syncretic magical practice blending ancient Babylonian beliefs, rabbinic Judaism, Eastern Christianity, and Persian Zoroastrianism in the multicultural crucible of Sasanian Mesopotamia.