 In the sixth chapter , " Written spells and charms " , Merrifield discusses the use of the written word in magical contexts . Highlighting archaeological examples from the ancient <unk> @-@ Roman world , he looks at inscriptions on lead tablets that were buried in <unk> and <unk> , both places associated with the dead . Moving on to the use of magic squares , Merrifield highlights various examples of the <unk> square in archaeological contexts , before also discussing squares that contained numerical data with <unk> significance . He rounds off the chapter with an examination of Post @-@ Medieval <unk> and charms containing the written word , citing examples that have been found by archaeologists across Britain , hidden inside various parts of buildings . In the seventh chapter , " <unk> against witchcraft " , he deals with archaeological evidence for a variety of Early Modern and Modern British spells designed to ward off <unk> witchcraft . After briefly discussing the role of holed stone charms , he looks at the evidence for witch bottles , making reference to their relation to beliefs about witches ' <unk> . Proceeding to focus on 19th- and 20th @-@ century examples , Merrifield discusses the case of James <unk> , an English <unk> man , and his involvement with the witch bottle tradition . Merrifield 's final chapter , " The ritual of superstition : recognition and potential for study " , provides an overview of the entire book , highlighting the evidence of ritual continuity from pre @-@ Christian periods to the present day . Pointing out what he sees as areas of further exploration for archaeologists , he calls for " systematic investigation " of the subject . 
