The unknown weapon of the ancient Greeks: the "voodoo dolls"

There are many movies and television series, including documentaries, that illustrate practices and witchcraft with « vudu dolls «.These references make us relate these disturbing dolls to the culture of some areas of Africa and the Caribbean, but did you know that this kind of spells were also performed in the Ancient Greece ?

Black magic in Ancient Greece

Most of us know the pantheon of gods of Ancient Greece, headed by Zeus, who supposedly inhabited Olympus.What we did not know is that, while worshiping these gods, they were realized specific speeches of a magical nature, among them: divination, curses, the manufacture of vudu dolls and the necromancy .Those who practiced it had to be, by force, the first sorcerers and witches in history.

The unknown weapon of the ancient Greeks: the

Is there evidence of these activities?

There are.In the excavations of recent times " tablets of the curse " have been found-like that of Silchester, which the writer Tolkien knew so well-and "vudu dolls" in deposits belonging to Ancient Greece and Rome, Mesopotamia and even Egypt.These objects show that, at times, the men and women of that time decided not to submit to the gods and give a little boost to their destiny, even if it was through black magic.

The voodoo dolls

The voodoo dolls of Ancient Greece were known as " kolossoi " and were usually next to a "curse tablet"-tables in which a curse was written for a specific person-.

These "kolossoi" used to be made of lead, bronze, clay or wax and could have a way that vaguely reminds a person or to be really worked.

The "kolossoi" were placed inside the graves so that the cheers up did what the figures and tablets of curse asked.They could also find themselves in crossroads of roads or walls, in short, border areas that wanted to protect from something.

What were they like?

The target name or victim was used, depending on your intentions, on the «kolossoi» and while it was being manufactured it went through nails Some basic body members such as: the head, eyes, limbs or genitals.

Interestingly, the number of nails with which the figure pierced used to be 13.

The unknown weapon of the ancient Greeks: the

Kolossis , Museum of the Louvre

Every part of the pierced body was "paralyzed", so if you stuck the tips in the eyes, ears and mouth, you left the victim without cognitive abilities.If it was done in the heart and limbs, it was to decrease the strength of the adversary.

Another option was to go around some parts of the doll to incapacitate the target .He usually turned his head to confuse the victim, although he could relate to any part of the body.

These practices give the dolls a really disturbing aspect.

Also, it should be noted that their use could be public-one State sought protection or attack another-or private-attacks or defenses of/towards individuals or families-.

3 types of «kolossoi»

The «kolossoi» were linked to a subject, but the intention with which this was realized link could vary.In this article we differentiate 3 types of link with the Greek «voodoo doll»:

Kolossoi linked to deities: used to restrain the dangerous deities that can cause us harm or favor our enemies.Other times, they tried to attract and dominate the forces of a God or a spirit, to obtain their blessings. Kolossoi linked to spirits and other Hikesoi Apaktoi (hostile visitors) .Since these beings could not be eliminated, the "kolossoi" was used to keep them at bay. Kolossoi linked to your worst enemies. This class of enemies could be sorcerers, who would have cursed someone or an ordinary enemy.In cases where the enemy is unknown-they have cursed you but you don't know who it has been-two "kolossoi" were used: one of a man and another of a woman.When the goal was a large number of people, for example an army, three "kolossoi" were used.

The "kolossoi" could also be used to link the members of a oath and have erotic goals , in that case, it was sought to curb infidelities, foster infatuation or eliminate a rival from competition.

The unknown weapon of the ancient Greeks: the

How did they get rid of these curses?

Often, only the gods could undo the links with the «kolossoi».The best thing the victim or subject could do was pray and make a sacrifice to the gods and, if possible, to those who had "linked".Another option was to find your "kolossoi" and release it yourself.? Removing the nails and/or turning its members to restore normality in his body.

If you are interested in the customs of the Ancient world, you may want to know the history of kisses in Ancient Rome.

Images: Hadley Paul Garland, Reinhold BehringerKaty Ereira

Comments

Jules Verne and the "Fog Society"

Julio Verne. His books are the example of a visionary who knew how to mix science and adventure like nobody else, the fantastic thing with the limits of probability.Incredible journeys, engineering out of his time...We have all grown up with his readings playing with traveling aboard the Nautilus, meeting Captain Nemo, discovering the sources of the Nile or traveling to the Moon. But what if we told you that maybe many of the Verne's ideas were taken from a secret society to which he belonged? There is a lot of literature involving the mythical figure of Jules Verne, an avant-garde man who is considered, along with HG Wells, father of science fiction and whose past leaves us with many puzzles. The Secret Fog Society The Fog Society was founded in the 16th century by Sebastien Griphe, but without much repercussion.It was not until the arrival of the 19th century , when it emerged again in the shadows with enough impact among certain groups of intellectuals.For man...

Objects that appear and disappear. Has it happened to you?

Surely it has ever happened to you, you are looking for something and there is no way to find it , you look in a place that you had previously reviewed and surprisingly, « there it is » .Parapsychologists have an explanation for this phenomenon they call " Jotts " (Just One of Those Things) or " DOP " (disappearing object phenomena) and science too. Objects that appear and disappear. Has this happened to you? Objects that appear and disappear The parapsychologist Mary Rose Barrington, president of the Oxford University Society for Psychical Research, who has studied these phenomena distinguishes 4 types of Jotts : The Appearing : It is when the object was in a place that is not the usual one and appears in its place. The one who walks : It is when an object is not in the place in the one we thought we had left and we find it in another where we would never leave it consciously. The one who Returns : It is when the object disappears from the...

Curse in the Playboy mansion?

Legend has it that in the spectacular Playboy mansion there is a curse that has attacked several "bunnies", causing them to die tragically and prematurely. Reality or pure coincidence? Premature deaths of young people «Playboy» Willy Rey This bunny It was Playmate of the month of February of the year 1971 , this beautiful redhead apparently had everything: beauty, health and the beginning of a promising career as a model. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2N0Yme4tu8 However, passed away at the young age of 23 years due to an overdose of pills, at It seems the young woman would have confessed several days before her death that she felt insecure about her future. Sue Williams This young woman from California was actress and also a model.She appeared in the famous bunny magazine in the year 1965 . 23 years old and four years after appearing in the pages for Playboy magazine, Sue was found lifeless, apparently by suicide.The causes that led this yo...

Singular time traveler in a 1941 photograph

Look for a moment in the photograph that heads this article.I am sure that in a few seconds you will have noticed that peculiar «anomaly», that young man with striking dark glasses that you saw in a "too contemporary" way. Our story is full of curious photographs, of inexplicable facts that call our attention.Not long ago we talked about a supposed time traveler in one of Charles Chaplin's movies.strong> Well, today we show you another famous enigma, another challenge that has brought numerous researchers and lovers of the curious-like all of us in this space-.So what are you prepared to deploy your analytical skills ? A "time traveler" very hipster Let's start by putting this photograph in context.We are in 1941, in British Columbia, Canada The image is titled "Reopening of the South Fork Bridge, after the floods" and, as such, it is exhibited in a historical museum permanently in this same city, attracting the attention of anyone...

3 characters that agreed with the devil

Urban novels and legends tell us about characters that succeeded or got what they wanted thanks to a pact with the devil .In Mysterious we talk about the figure of "The Familiar", a monstrous being who in return for human flesh provided wealth and power to the one who had agreed with the devil.On this occasion we bring you 3 cases of characters that are said to have agreed with the devil and their stories. 3 characters who agreed with the devil Urbain Grandier Urbain Grandier was a Catholic priest French who lived in the seventeenth century.He was accused of agreeing with the devil and executed for it.Urbain was a very charismatic man, open minded for the time attracted his sermons at most important people of the diocese of Poitiers.He also had frequent love affairs with his parishioners and pupils who found him irresistible .Unfortunately he left the daughter of the prosecutor in the area pregnant and won his enmity eternal.He also turned against Ric...

The Revenants | Medieval stories about those who returned from death

If you have seen the French series "Les revenants" you will know what we want to talk about in this post.The figure of the revenants was not something that French scriptwriters invented, but centuries ago that It is a concept that is repeated in the folklore of many countries in Europe.Join us to meet the Revenants and discover some curious and terrifying medieval stories and legends about those who returned from death. Content Index The Revenants Revenants is a French word that refers to the "visible ghosts or animated corpses" that returned from the death, physically rising from their graves, to persecute and terrorize the living. Description of the revenants The revenants are usually described s as dead bodies in an advanced state of decomposition, but in which you can still recognize who they were when they lived.They have bright and red eyes, rotten teeth and usually lack pieces of meat throughout their anatomy.The skin hangs on them strips...

Backmasking: hidden messages backwards in songs?

Let's talk today in Mysterious of Backmasking .We are sure that you already know this term, and you may even have tried to sharpen your senses to try to capture hidden messages in many of the lyrics of songs from your favorite groups. Now, let's start first by defining what is called Backmasking.It is a technique by which to enter words and phrases in a sound record, so that they are recorded on a reverse music track so that later, it is broadcast forward. An example to understand it better? In Fito Paez's video clip « Tombs of Glory», Almost at the end, he pronounces a series of indecipherable and meaningless words that many people fail to understand and that I raise a lot of curiosity.Finally, it was discovered that it was a "blackmasking" to honor his favorite musicians, and that he had said backwards the following words: Sid Vicious, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. Are you joining us today in Mysterious in the haunting world of Backmasking? Hi...

Do you know what Hum or murmur is heard on the entire planet?

If you search the Internet for "unusual low frequency hum", you will find realize that others have done the same search. You may be part of the small fraction of people who can hear what is called «Worldwide Hum» or simply «Hum».The question now is: "What is its cause?" Do you know what Hum is or the murmur that is heard all over the planet? The classic description of Hum is that Sounds like an idling truck engine .For some, it is a dull noise or distant hum.It may appear and disappear suddenly or increase and decrease over time.For others, the snoring is loud, relentless and disrupts daily life. In 2004 the geoccientist David Deming (also a Hum listener) wrote an article about it.According to this, the Hum was documented by first time in the late 1960s, around Bristol, England .It first appeared in the United States in the late 1980s, in Taos, New Mexico. Different sources have pointed to the network of cell phones or electric towers.But this theory h...

Children who cry: the damn pictures

In Mysterious we talk to you once about a cursed painting: "The Hands Resist Him".On this occasion we present the case of a series of crying children that will make you shiver. Bruno Amadio Like every rumor of a curse, it is difficult to discern that it is an invention and that it is true.However, what we do know is that Bruno Amadio, known as Bragolin was the author of a series of 27 portraits called «The Weeping Children». Some say that this Venetian painter arrived in Spain at the end of World War II and that the children Painted are the orphans who lived in an orphanage that burned down, something that could explain the sinister touch that pits the work of this edge. Why says the "Crying Children" are cursed? It is not clear when it happened, but apparently in the '70 numerous cases of fires and unexplained phenomena began to happen in the houses that had one of the paintings of the series «The weeping children» hung on the wal...

Mystery Unsolved

Search This Blog