Abstrakt
According to Plato, in his Laws, magic is something poisonous. It can infect our minds and scare the possible victim of a curse.
As an example he refers to wax figurines of victims: "And when men are disturbed in their minds at the sight of waxen images fixed either at their doors, or in a place where three ways meet, or on the sepulchres of parents, there is no use in trying to persuade them that they should despise all such things because they have no certain knowledge about them."(Plato, Laws XI). Also, the handbook of magic spells called nowadays Greek Magical Papyri introduces charms using wax or clay figures: "Take wax [or clay] from a potter's wheel and make two figures, a male and a female...You place it, as the sun is setting, beside the grave of one who has died untimely or violently, placing beside it also the seasonal flowers." (PGM IV. 296-466).
Among artefacts of magical nature also figurines of victims were discovered. They were made of various materials like lead, clay or wax.
They were connected to the curse which was in some way incorporated to the figurine. Most of these figurines are made in specific tradition with arms and legs bound behind their back.
The examples were found in Kerameikos (Greece), Tell Sandahannah (Palestine) or Egypt. In the presentation, I would like to present a comparison to the practice depicted by Plato, spell inscription in Greek Magical Papyri and the actual finds.