Type: Roman Defixio (Tabella Defixionis)
Age: 1st-3rd Century CE
Era: Roman
Culture: Roman (Roman Emboricum)
Excavated: Roman Emboricum


These small lead tablets, called a defixio, were used in religious rituals. Inside of the folded lead would be writing, typically scratched in with a stylus. Most often the writing contained a curse or prayer. 

Although this one is from the Roman era, in 2019, a very important defixio was found on Mt. Ebal, Israel. The Ebal defixio has been associated with the alter built by Joshua, just after the Exodus. You can read the scientific article about the Ebal defixio at by clicking below. 

Mt. Ebal Defixio Article