Abstract
Defixiones (curse tablets) are artefacts of a magical nature. They have their epigraphic, archaeological and partially religious value and they are insight to thinking of average people.
These tablets made of lead bear the curse written down on them. Mostly they are aimed against competitors of the authors- in love, trial or sport, or a thief who robbed the author.
Usually they are placed in graves, water sources or sacred places. In my presentation I would like to present the study on deposition of curse tablets concerning especially Magna Mater and devotion to her.
Concretely I will focus on one of the most important sites dedicated to this oriental goddess, concerning the defixiones, which is the dual shrine of Magna Mater and Isis in Mainz, ancient Mogontiacum. I would like to primarily focus on the deposition of the thirty-four tablets which were found there and are dated between the last third of the first century AD and the second century AD.
Their location differs from the tablets found in the other temples and sites, especially because they are not connected to water basins, but fire contexts. Then I would like to compare this site to another temple of Magna Mater in Europe in Kempraten.
Is the deposition and the ritual the same or it differs? How the goddess influenced the tradition of deposition of curse tablets?