The Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology is inviting visitors to step far beyond the visible world with Magic from Elsewhere, an exhibition that explores the rites, symbols and beliefs that have shaped societies across continents and centuries…
Drawing on more than a hundred rare and often unsettling objects, the exhibition reveals how magical and religious rituals have been used to connect humans with forces they believed lay beyond everyday perception.
Sourced from sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and beyond, the objects on display are anything but decorative. Many date back to the 18th century and bear the physical traces of their original use: sacrificial residues, patinas and wear that attest to ceremonies, healing practices and acts of protection or control. Scientific analysis of these materials adds further depth to their stories, grounding belief in tangible evidence.
The exhibition highlights a universal truth that there are few cultures, if any, without ritual practices designed to mediate between the living and the dead, the visible and the invisible. Visitors encounter the central roles played by shamans, healers and priestesses, figures who embodied spiritual authority and knowledge within their communities.
Among the most striking pieces are masks linked to secret societies, powerful voodoo objects intended to silence enemies, and figurines believed to imprison dangerous spirits. Together, they illustrate a worldview in which objects were thought to possess souls, energy and purpose.
Presented at the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology of Monaco, Magic from Elsewhere runs until December and offers a rare opportunity to reflect on the complexity of belief, reminding visitors that the world may be far richer, and stranger, than what the eye alone can see.
Image: Monaco Info