Magic Texts Shine Light on Egyptian Religion

Researchers have shed new light on "magical" texts created centuries ago in Egypt with the intention of bringing about changes in the lives of those who used them. ...The contents of the texts can be divided into a handful of categories. For example, some were intended to protect the user from death, or demons, to appease enemies or fulfil very specific wishes. In addition, spells dealing with matters of love also crop up frequently—and were seemingly used mainly by men. Some of these texts were aimed at separating married couples.