Description
The zār ritual complex, originating in East Africa and introduced to Egypt by the mid-nineteenth century, offers a framework in which physical and psychological afflictions are reinterpreted through a metaphysical lens. This cosmology serves as a mirror to human and material realities. Central to the zār tradition is an orally transmitted ritual knowledge, wherein music—particularly chant and rhythm—constitutes the principal mode of expression and transmission. Within this oral-musical system, silver talismans inscribed with texts and images stand as rare material articulations of the otherwise intangible zār spiritual realm. These inscribed objects embody a synthesis of visual and auditory symbolism, drawing together Islamic religious elements, Qur’anic scripture, and zār ritual beliefs to generate protective and transformative efficacy.
This presentation examines a selection of zār related artifacts from the Ethnographic Museum of Cairo, contextualizing them within their ritual use. It will explore the interplay between musical practice, material culture, and textual references, with particular attention to the ways in which talismans function not only as ritual tools but also as mediators in the broader transmission and circulation of the zār cult within twentieth-century Egyptian society.
