Recipes for love : a semiotic analysis of the tools in the erotic magical papyri
This thesis is a semiotic analysis of the tools instructed for application by the erotic magical papyri (EMP). Erotic magic, one of the largest categories instructed by the Papyri Graecae Magicae (PGM), is performed to establish or reinforce a relationship with an erotic nature. The performance of erotic magic is reliant on the incorporation of a broad variety of ritual practices, including, for example, necromancy, binding, divination, and sacrificial ceremonies. The tools have been defined as the physical substances, materials, and objects that are instructed for application by the PGM for the performance of erotic magic. Any analysis of the PGM will immediately notice that the manipulation of physical tools is ever-present and, as a consequence, the image portrayed of the magician is one of a tool-wielding practitioner. This statement can lead logically to the conclusion that the power of the rituals instructed by the EMP did not reside within the individual but in the manipulation of tools in the proper manner. As a consequence, to understand magic and how it was performed, it is essential to understand the instructions for the manipulation of tools. The main objective of this thesis is to discover, through
Evans, Luke Aaron Ralph
Recipes for love : a semiotic analysis of the tools in the erotic magical papyri. This thesis is a semiotic analysis of the tools instructed for application by the erotic magical papyri (EMP). Erotic magic, one of the largest categories instructed by the Papyri Graecae Magicae (PGM), is performed to establish or reinforce a relationship with an erotic nature. The performance of erotic magic is reliant on the incorporation of a broad variety of ritual practices, including, for example, necromancy, binding, divination, and sacrificial ceremonies. The tools have been defined as the physical substances, materials, and objects that are instructed for application by the PGM for the performance of erotic magic. Any analysis of the PGM will immediately notice that the manipulation of physical tools is ever-present and, as a consequence, the image portrayed of the magician is one of a tool-wielding practitioner. This statement can lead logically to the conclusion that the power of the rituals instructed by the EMP did not reside within the individual but in the manipulation of tools in the proper manner. As a consequence, to understand magic and how it was performed, it is essential to understand the instructions for the manipulation of tools. The main objective of this thesis is to discover, through
recipes love semiotic analysis tool erotic magical papyrus semiotic analysis tool application erotic magical papyrus erotic magic one_large category instruct papyri perform establish reinforce relationship erotic nature performance erotic magic reliant incorporation broad variety ritual_practice include_example binding divination sacrificial ceremony tool define physical substance material_object instruct application performance erotic magic analysis immediately notice manipulation physical tool ever_present consequence image portray tool practitioner statement lead logically conclusion power ritual instruct reside within individual manipulation tool proper manner consequence magic perform essential instruction manipulation tool main_objective discover