Greek handbook for magic

This 4th-century papyrus is part of an ancient Greek handbook for magic. The handbook contains charms to discover thieves and to reveal people's secret thoughts, and it describes how to prepare a magical ring. The owner was advised to inscribe the ring with a charm, according to the following formula: ‘May … never happen as long as this remains buried’. Except for one added word, the inscription reads the same in either direction, a well-known characteristic of historical magical charms.