CONFERENCE: BENEDICTIO/MALEDICTIO: What Have Curses to do with Blessings?

Friday 2 March Lecture Room - 9am-1pm and 5pm-7pm

Saturday 3 March Lecture Room - 9am-1pm

The hypothesis put before the participants is that in traditional societies blessing and cursing, no matter how different they seem, are two aspects of a single spiritual phenomenon. Blessings and curses derive their authority from the same sources; their mechanics are essentially the same; those empowered to do the one are the very same as those empowered to do the other; and the liturgy for one is a mirror image of that for the other. Cultural contexts to be discussed include Assyria, ancient Greece, ancient Palestine, late-antique Egypt, medieval Ireland, medieval and early-modern Europe.

Speakers include:

Tzvi Abusch Lisa Bitel Christopher Faraone David Frankfurter

John Gager Lester Little Michael Swartz H. S. Versnal.