14 - Magic in Ancient Egypt

Chasing Hermes

The life of a magician in Ancient Egypt was tough. He had to get up early in the morning, wash, shave every hair from his body, pick up his magician's toolbox and go to work. Both the poor and the wealthy required his services: staving off evil warlocks, prescribing remedies to common illnesses, carving amulets and talismans, and providing enough mojo to the dearly departed to last them an eternity in the afterlife. More than pyramids and mummies, Ancient Egypt was an intricately structured society where magicians had a prominent position. The magicians were called "scribes of the house of life" and had to undergo long training before they could practice their art. Often serving part-time as priests at a temple, these highly educated men were approachable intermediaries between the physical world and the supernatural. In this episode, we explore some of the documented tricks of the Ancient Egyptian magician's trade and find some interesting parallels with today's western occultism. We also challenge some common perceptions about what the Egyptian amulets and talismans were used for.