Toledo Museum Exhibition Examines Ancient Magic Practices Across Civilizations

The Toledo Museum of Art is presenting 'Cursed! The Power of Magic in the Ancient World,' an exhibition exploring how ancient societies employed magical practices to address life's difficulties. On view through July 5, 2026, the display transforms the Glass Pavilion gallery into a darkened environment with projected inscriptions and artifacts. Guest curator Jeffrey Spier emphasizes that magic in antiquity represented a serious belief system rather than mere illusion, serving as a practical means for individuals to exert control in uncertain circumstances. The exhibition examines magical traditions across Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome from approximately 2000 B.C.E. to 300 C.E. Notable artifacts include the Old Babylonian Mask of Humbaba from the British Museum and a mummy portrait with an amulet from the J. Paul Getty Museum. The show illustrates how magic intersected with cultural practices, noting that in Egypt and Mesopotamia it was closely linked with religion, while in Greece and Rome it often existed outside official structures. Examples include protective amulets like the Neo-Assyrian Pazuzu piece used against infant mortality and curse tablets intended to harm adversaries. The exhibition also traces how magical traditions evolved through cultural exchanges, particularly after Alexander's conquests, as evidenced by multilingual texts like the London Magical Papyrus. Amy Passiak, a museum registrar, observes the remarkable preservation of these artifacts despite their ephemeral intended purposes. Spier notes that people turned to magic to gain agency when facing uncontrollable forces, an impulse that remains recognizable today.