The Donkey King: Asinine Symbology in Ancient and Medieval Magic
By Emily Selove
Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 978-1-009-07493-3
Why does the humble donkey appear alongside prophets and demons? This book delves into the many roles the donkey plays in Arabic literature—from comic relief to a symbol of the supernatural.
Excerpt:
The 13th-century Arabic grimoire, al-Sakkākī’s Kitāb al-Shāmil (Book of the Complete), provides numerous methods of contacting jinn. The first such jinn described, Abū Isrā’īl Būzayn ibn Sulaymān, arrives with a donkey. In the course of offering an explanation for his ritual, this Element reveals the double-sided nature of asinine symbology, and explains why this animal has served as the companion of both demons and prophets. Focusing on two nodes of donkey symbology—the phallus and the bray-it reveals a coincidentia oppositorum in a deceptively humble and comic animal form. Thus, the donkey, bearer of a demonic voice, and of a phallus symbolic of base materiality, also represents transcendence of the material and protection from the demonic. In addition to Arabic literature and occult rituals, the Element refers to evidence from the ancient Near East, Egypt, and Greece, as well as to medieval Jewish and Christian texts.
Who is this book for?
Those interested in the history of animals, Arabic literature, or folklore will find this case study enlightening. Even readers with a fascination for medieval magic will discover valuable insights within its pages.
The Author
One of our favourite authors at Medievalists.net, Emily Selove is an associate professor in Medieval Arabic Language and Literature at the University of Exeter. Among her other books is Popeye and Curly: 120 Days in Medieval Baghdad. See also her Instagram page.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.
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