Pre-Christian Ruins as Reservoirs of Supernatural Agency in Egypt, Ireland and Peru

This note outlines several features common to the reception of ancient ruins by the Christian populations of three countries, each located on a different continent. Most of the sites were and are strongly associated with the realm of the dead. Fear of misadventure or calamity typically inspired a respectful avoidance of such pre-Christian sites and structures, but it could also precipitate destructive monkish interventions. Suitably qualified ritual practitioners could access the power of these sites for magical or medical use, which could be either injurious or curative