A medieval silver cross pendant inscribed with the letters AG LA

AGLA (אגלא) is a magic word that appears in some charms. Its meaning is unsettled, but is widely reputed to be a noṭariqōn or kabbalistic acronym for Hebrew: אַתָּה גִּבּוֹר לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָי, romanized: ʾAtā gībōr ləʿōlām ʾĂḏōnāy, "Thou, O Lord, art mighty forever." It is said daily in the Gevurot, the second blessing of the Amidah, the central Jewish prayer. However, according to Katelyn Mesler, "after much searching, I have yet to find evidence of such an interpretation prior to the late fourteenth or fifteenth century, a couple centuries after AGLA begins appearing in magical writings."[1]

AGLA is found in at least 31 runic inscriptions.[2] During the Middle Ages, the word was reinterpreted in the Kingdom of Germany as an initialism for Allmächtiger Gott, Lösche Aus, "Almighty God, extinguish the conflagration" and used as a talisman against fire.[3] It has been inscribed on several medieval Christian silver crosses from England recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme, where it was interpreted as a charm against fever.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ Mesler, Katelyn "The Latin Encounter with Hebrew Magic" in; Page, Sophie, and; Rider, Catherine (2019). The Routledge History of Medieval Magic. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. p. 88.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Cole, Richard (January 2015). "Hebrew in Runic Inscriptions and Elsewhere". Viking and Medieval Scandinavia. 11: 33–77. doi:10.1484/j.vms.5.109599.
  3. ^ Berlin, A. (2011). The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion. Oxford University Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-19-973004-9. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  4. ^ "PENDANT (HAMP-C1876C)". Portable Antiquities Scheme. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  5. ^ "PENDANT (LIN-D23796)". Portable Antiquities Scheme. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
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