Magic and Religion

The ancient city-state of Corinth lay halfway between Athens and Sparta on a narrow strip of the Greek peninsula. It was known not only as a thriving trade center but also as a bastion of magic and the occult. In his lecture Magic and Religion in Ancient Corinth, archaeologist Ronald Stroud will discuss the excavation at the Sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone, which revealed an area where black magic was practiced. Found at the site were magic equipment and “curse” texts etched on lead tablets. The free lecture takes place Tuesday, February 8, at 5:30 p.m. at the S.B. Museum of Natural History (2559 Puesta del Sol Rd.). For more information, call the Archaeological Institute of America: Santa Barbara at 893-6109.