The Symbolism and the Style of the Glagolithic Magical Ceremony of Purification

Abstract

Having drawn attention to the importance of learning about Glagolithic writings and tales and to the need of correctly transliterating these texts particularly in the light of newer medical knowledge about the magical effects of words on illnesses and on the objective world at large, the author analyses an older transcription of the text of a Glagolithic ceremony of purification from curses dating from 15th century Vinodol. Taking as his aim the analysis of the symbolism and the style of the magical text and the final critical transliteration the author meticulously examines the possible problems and suspicions brought about by the language of the author of the old manuscript particularly those which are the result of damages suffered by the text. This procedure gave certain insights concerning the language and stylistic value of the text of the ceremony and the emphatic creativity of the writer/scribe which the author recognizes as characteristic for magic’s relationship to language.