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In 2008 archaeologists unexpectedly found a curse inscribed in Greek on a lead tablet from the old city kingdom of Amathus on the southern coast of Cyprus. It was simple and straightforward:“May your penis hurt when you make love.”
The inscription dates back to the 7th century AD when Christianity was well established on the island. The tablet also shows a man standing and holding in his right hand something that looks like an hourglass.
Pierre Aubuert, the head of Athens Archaeological School in Greece, believes that this curse may have referred to the activity of witchcraft or shamans surviving from the pre-Christian pagan era. However, the true reasoning behind the curse remains unknown, and it seems little follow-up research has been conducted.
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Know Before You Go
Free parking is available at the site. It costs €2.50 per adult to enter. Alternatively, climb the adjacent hill for free to get a birds eye view of the area and where you'll also find some of the ruins.
Published
July 23, 2012
