“Egyptian magic relied on the efficacy of the spoken word and on physical association (the latter often called “sympathetic” magic) to achieve a desired effect. The right words could controvert or deflect malign forces, and the use of particularly evocative amulets or substances that had been in contact with such talismans were expected to have a salutary effect.
Both beliefs have a basis in common human experience: the use of language to produce a desired reaction in a human audience, and the utilization of holy waters or relics in cultures around the world.”
― The Art of Medicine in Ancient Egypt, by James P. Allen, David T. Mininberg
