Taught via Zoom by Egyptologist Ava Forte Vitali
4 Weeks Class - Wednesdays February 8, 15, 22 and March 1
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Admission: $135 / $110 for Patreon Members

PLEASE NOTE: Classes will be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time.

Throughout the history of the ancient world, and even up until today, the ancient Egyptians were renowned for their knowledge of magic. For the ancient Egyptians magic, or heka, was understood to be a natural force and was seen as a normal part of one’s life. If you were being pestered by an unruly sleep demon, wanted to get in contact with your deceased ex, scare off kitchen pests, or protect your child from harm – the Egyptians had a magical way to make it happen.

This four week class will teach students about our understanding of the magical practices used by The Egyptians, from the grand scale of how they worshiped, to how it was used in the the everyday aspects of their lives. We will also explore the differences in who practiced what kind of magic, and think about what we can learn from a society where religion, medicine, technology and magic co-existed side by side without apparent conflict.

This course is open to all interest levels and backgrounds, such as enthusiasts who are looking for more expansive information on ancient Egypt than can be found on short sensationalized television specials, people who are interested in understanding the unique way the ancient Egyptians saw the world and using it as a way to understand their own, scholars who are interested in the global history of magical practices, or anyone who is even mildly interested in the subject matter overall. While the course will focus on the actual historical practices of the Egyptians, we can also discuss the different ways students can incorporate those beliefs into their modern practices as well. While there will be no required weekly reading, additional resources and reading lists on each topic will be available.

Class 1: Myth, Magic, and Art
This class will cover some of the core concepts that ancient Egyptians held, to help build a foundational framework for our understanding of Egyptian magic; we will also discuss their definition of heka, the term we translate today as ‘magic’ and how it differs from the Western concept of the same word

Class 2: Magicians, Wise Women, and Priests
For this class we will discuss the different classes of practitioners of magic in ancient Egypt, as well as variations in magical practices based on class and public vs. private settings; we will also discuss who was responsible for which kind of magic, including divination, dream interpretation, curses, and protective and healing spells

Class 3: Tools, Texts, and Techniques
In class 3 we will learn about the practicalities of how the Egyptians actually practiced, what we can interpret of their intangible practices based on the archaeological records, and discuss the tools, amulets, figurines, offering tables, and variety of other items they used as part of their rituals

Class 4: Magic and the Dead/The Legacy of Egyptian Magic
The final class will look at the relationship between magical practices and the dead in ancient Egypt, including ancestor worship; we will include a brief discussion about the legacy and interconnectedness of Egyptian magical practices, as well as leave time for us to ruminate as a group on modern interpretations of ancient magical practices

BIO

Archaeologist and art historian Ava Forte Vitali aims to bridge the gap between the academic community and the eager, interested public. Ava has excavated in both Egypt and Turkey, worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and is an adjunct professor at Adelphi University. As the Egyptologist-in-Residence at Morbid Anatomy, her lectures were often labeled a Time Out NY's 'Critics Pick". She is a contributing author to the college textbook, “Art and Its Histories” published in August 2022, and consults on children's books. Ava also works as the Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility for the children's book publisher Scholastic.

Images:

1. Magical Stela (Cippus of Horus), 360–343 B.C., Late Period, Metropolitan Museum.

2. Bes with Worshiper, 664–332 BC, Late Period, Metropolitan Museum.

3. Apotropaic rod, ca. 1878–1640 B.C., Middle Kingdom, Metropolitan Museum.