Music and magic Some folkloric evocations from the visual culture of the medieval East

The visual culture of the medieval Islamic world can help us to better understand certain aspects of magic and of the practices of magicians. However, one of these practises is difficult to find both in the visual arts, and that is the connection between magic and music. We find it, however, in certain famous tales from the Arab and Persian worlds. These show how musical sounds exert power on hearts or souls in everyday life, going so far as to as to influence the decisions of princes.