Roots of Magic episodes – The Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast (SHWEP)
Episodes
Sofie Schiødt on Studying Magical Spaces in Ancient Egypt
27 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We speak with Egyptologist Sofie Schiødt about her work-in-progress at Würzburg, exploring the evidence for ancient Egyptian magic in situ. How did ...
Daniel Schwemer on the Bit Meseri Ritual
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We speak with Daniel Schwemer about an intensive ritual practice for driving out demonic forces and/or hostile magic. Bit Meseri, the ‘House of Encl...
Martin Stadler on Magic and Religion at the Ancient Egyptian Temple of Edfu
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We speak with Martin Stadler on his work deciphering and interpreting the extraordinary temple-complex at Edfu in Egypt. We discuss myth, ritual, the ...
Beatrice Baragli on the Bīt Rimki Ritual Cycle
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We dive back into the world of Akkadian purification magic with Beatrice Baragli, who is working on an edition of the ritual sequence known as Bīt Ri...
Gideon Bohak on the Pishra de-Rabbi Ḥanina Ben Dosa
01 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss a fascinating text of all-purpose protective and apotropaic magic with a history spanning millennia with the inimitable Gideon Bohak. Attri...
Frank Simons on the Mesopotamian Šurpu Ritual
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We explore the ancient Mesopotamian ritual-series known as Šurpu with Frank Simons. This interview is a window onto very, very ancient magical pract...
Dan Levene on Late-Antique Jewish Magic Bowls, Skulls, and More
28 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We speak with Dan Levene, expert on the ancient Judæo-Aramaic incantation-bowls, on the bowls, the skulls, the Talmud, and what all of this tells us ...
Jonathan Beltz on Sumerian Death-Demons (and How to Deal with them)
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In our fourth Roots of Magic interview, we speak with Jonathan Beltz, specialist on the scarier side of ancient Sumerian cultural life, the side occup...
Family Matters: Charlotte Rose on Ancient Egyptian Medical Magic for Women and Children
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the dangerous, liminal space of childbirth and childhood in ancient Egypt. How might the gods, magic, and medicine interact to help make th...
Svenja Nagel on Ancient Egyptian Erotic Magic
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our second Roots of Magic interview, we speak with Svenja Nagel on erotic magic in ancient Egypt. Ritual practices and potions, magical continuity ...
Daniel Schwemer on the MagEIA Project at the University of Würzburg
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the first interview of a new series, we discuss the academic project we have all been waiting for, MagEIA: Magic between Entanglement, Interaction...