Current:Home > FinanceAncient "curse tablet" targeting unlucky pair unearthed by archaeologists in Germany -Secure Horizon Growth
Ancient "curse tablet" targeting unlucky pair unearthed by archaeologists in Germany
View
Date:2025-04-16 17:53:42
Archaeologists probing a construction site in northern Germany recently unearthed a cryptic artifact that they believe dates back to the 15th century: a medieval "curse tablet," with an inscription seemingly directed at two specific people.
The tablet was made from a small slab of lead, which was rolled up and "inconspicuous" when archaeologists discovered it beneath a latrine at the site in Rostock, a coastal city where construction for a town hall building was underway, the city said in a translated news release.
Curse tablets were often hidden in places "where they were difficult or impossible to find" so "the cursed ones shouldn't find out about the impending disaster," according to the release, which added that obscurity meant the tablet's "damaging magic could therefore unfold in peace."
When researchers unrolled the piece of metal, they found a handwritten message in Gothic script that was hard to see with the naked eye. They ultimately deciphered the lettering as a clear curse, targeting a woman named Taleke and a man named Hinrik with its bad omen. According to archaeologists, the script read, "sathanas taleke belzebuk hinrik berith," which they interpreted as a call summoning Satan and the demonic spirit Berith against the unlucky pair, for one reason or another.
"Did someone want to break up Taleke and Heinrich's relationship? Was this about spurned love and jealousy, should someone be put out of the way?" asked Rostock officials in the news release.
Jörg Ansorge, who led the excavation project, said the tablet was "truly a very special find" in a statement. He noted that curse tablets like the one found in Rostock are typically associated with ancient Greece and Rome.
"Curse tablets are actually known from ancient times in the Greek and Roman regions, i.e. from the period from 800 B.C. to 600 A.D.," Ansorge said. "Our discovery, on the other hand, can be dated to the 15th century."
Other "curse tablets" have been uncovered by archaeologists before. A 1,500-year-old lead tablet found in an ancient theater in present-day Israel had Greek inscriptions that summoned demons to harm a rival dancer, and 2,400-year-old tablets discovered in Athens called on gods of the underworld to harm a group of tavern keepers, LiveScience reported.
The tablet discovered in Germany was not the first archeological find in Rostock, according to the city. Ansorge was also involved in a project at the same town hall construction site where they unearthed Valencian chandelierware earlier this year. Experts say the well-preserved bowl was made in Valencia, Spain, at some point during the 15th century.
- In:
- Archaeologist
- Germany
Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.
Twitter InstagramveryGood! (95842)
Related
- Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
- From Antarctica to the Oceans, Climate Change Damage Is About to Get a Lot Worse, IPCC Warns
- The Year Ahead in Clean Energy: No Big Laws, but a Little Bipartisanship
- Teen with life-threatening depression finally found hope. Then insurance cut her off
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- In New Jersey Solar Decision, Economics Trumped Ideology
- It Took This Coal Miner 14 Years to Secure Black Lung Benefits. How Come?
- Why Are Hurricanes Like Dorian Stalling, and Is Global Warming Involved?
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- Why anti-abortion groups are citing the ideas of a 19th-century 'vice reformer'
Ranking
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- Why Nick Jonas’ Performance With Kelsea Ballerini Caused Him to Go to Therapy
- Why anti-abortion groups are citing the ideas of a 19th-century 'vice reformer'
- 4 people found dead at home in Idaho; neighbor arrested
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- NASA spacecraft captures glowing green dot on Jupiter caused by a lightning bolt
- TikToker Alix Earle Shares Update After Getting Stranded in Italy
- New Samsung Galaxy devices are coming—this is your last chance to pre-order and get $50 off
Recommendation
EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
Sun's out, ticks out. Lyme disease-carrying bloodsucker season is getting longer
New lawsuit provides most detailed account to date of alleged Northwestern football hazing
James Ray III, lawyer convicted of murdering girlfriend, dies while awaiting sentencing
As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
Carmelo Anthony Announces Retirement From NBA After 19 Seasons
Unraveling a hidden cause of UTIs — plus how to prevent them
Judge overseeing Trump documents case sets Aug. 14 trial date, but date is likely to change