4th-8th century AD. A ceramic flat-based bowl, inscribed in spiral from the bottom inner wall to the rim with a magic Aramaic text. Cf. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, accession number: 80.001.0001.274 grams, 16.5cm (6 1/2"). From a family collection formed before 1992; by descent before 1992, London and Geneva. These simple ceramic bowls, also known as magic bowls, each contain an Aramaic inscription, written in ink, which spirals from the centre. The bowls seem to have played an important part in domestic life. For example, during excavation in Nippur in 1889, one or more incantation bowls were found in each house together with domestic artefacts, most often in doorways or under floorboards in the corner of rooms. The bowls are predominantly apotropaic, and the inscriptions tend to protect their owners from misfortunes such as death of a child, illness and evil spirits.