Mari Antler Codex

First discovered in 1989 near the ancient city of Mari, the Mari Antler Codex is an inscribed fragment of moose antler believed to contain ritual instructions associated with early Mesopotamian magic.

Scholars have long debated whether the script represents a proto-cuneiform system or a form of symbolic shorthand used by itinerant “forest mages” mentioned in later Akkadian incantations. Traces of fungal residue found within the carved grooves have fueled hypotheses linking the artifact to the so-called myco-ritual complex described by J. Levi Schültke (2024).

Controversy surrounds its authenticity: some researchers claim the codex is a modern forgery inspired by Schültke’s theories, while others argue that radiocarbon dating supports a late 3rd millennium BCE origin.