An Anatomy of Tradition: The Case of the Charitêsion.

Abstract

This paper traces continuity and change in the structure and formulation of Demotic, Greek, and Coptic charitêsia (“good luck charms”) in Roman Egypt. Drawing on Roy Rappaport’s theory of ritual, it argues that authoritative traditions for obtaining favor and fortune, derived from wider institutional cultic practices, persisted over time because incremental changes did not disrupt established patterns. The resulting products combined both elasticity and specificity so as to be at once recognizable in a general cultural context and relevant to specific audiences.