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Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileThis manuscript features three columns of Greek cursive script written on fibrous papyrus, including a prominent heading for lamp divination (lychnomanteia). In the central column, a sequence of 'charakteres'—magical symbols with ringed ends—are drawn as part of a ritual to summon an attendant spirit. The text represents a practical manual for theurgy, detailing specific invocations and the preparation of ritual objects.
Designated as PGM I, this is a foundational text of the Greek Magical Papyri, documenting the syncretic blend of Egyptian, Greek, and Jewish esoteric practices in Late Antiquity. It serves as a vital precursor to the Western grimoire tradition and shares the same intellectual milieu as the Corpus Hermeticum and early Neoplatonism.
ΛΥΧΝΟΜΑΝΤΙΑ
Hermes Trismegistus
The PGM often invoke Hermes/Thoth and reflect the Greco-Egyptian religious environment that produced the Hermetic texts.
Iamblichus
The ritual practices described in the papyrus, such as the invocation of daemons, align with the theurgical systems discussed in 'On the Mysteries'.
Object
scientific
Digital Source
Unknown · Public domain
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 4, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.