I am going to be playing a Middle East sorcerer in a special event coming up. The time period is 2,000 years ago.I am going thru props and looking for effects that would somewhat match that era. e.g. rope tricks, fire magic, cups & balls, shell game, etc. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

Well, there's the basket trick, you could do the hypnotized rope trick (as a smaller version of the indian rope trick or something), cups and balls are always a possibility- whenever I'm doing anything of that nature I always have a campfire that I throw powder into that kinda... Explodes. It's a nifty looking effect as an opener or closer.
Watch the Penn and Teller magic and mystery tour episodes on youtube- you'll probably get some ideas there.

Well, what level of authenticity are you going for?

Since you are a "sorcerer" not a performer of japes and tricks, I assume you want to act the part. In this case, what would a sorcerer do in the middle east? Perhaps divination would be a big thing. Augury (such as animal entrails) has been used for ages. Also, casting of lots (think sortilege type readings) would be a possibility. Either of those if you are a decent cold reader might add a lot of flavor. Summon a demon or a spirit of a dead person ala witch of Endor (PK touches could be used to make this seem more possible and other PK effects could be the clincher). Demonstrate the ability to animate a dead thing (see Capricornian Tales for a nice effect of this nature).

If you are looking for magic tricks for the time, I think it was Pliny the Younger who wrote a letter describing seeing a performer making a stone seem to vanish from one acetabulum to another, like cups and balls, so that effect as a gambling routine has been around a long time. Cut and restored rope would feel great for the time, though I really don't know how far back it dates. Almost any hand magic can be used if it does not depend upon modern props.

Since you have a particular character and place for it, make your presentations fit your persona. Perhaps if you share a little more about the details of the event it would be easier to suggest some ideas.

-Patrick

How about the use of baskets? You could go to thrift Store and find something and perhaps build an effect around that. In the library there might be a copy and of Jung's Red Book. It might be source of ancient symbols. Mr. Woolery happen to mention Capricorn, how a mental effect that uses symbols from the zodiac?

PS I have a suggestion, often, thrift stores also have lots of brass objects people have brought back from their travels. In the right setting, these could adapted to become magic props.

Some wooden boxes that look medieval can be useful. Stephens Magic carries a medieval box effect.

Silk to egg is appropriate. Any silk tricks, actually. Fire eating. Sword Suspension. Human Pincushion. Rope tricks. Cups and Balls. Doves.

This, obviously, is an old thread. I'll add a few thoughts...

First to the OP, if he's still around! >>>When I was a teenager (1940s) I learned to THINK! Yes, the "masthead" of the Café ("magicians helping magicians")is a "nice thought", BUT....I read far too many "requests" in the various fora for help, when it's obvious that the "requester" hasn't done ANY research himself. Far too many are just too lazy, to think for themselves.

Read! Study! (TARBELL et al) You can buy the "toys", but, you must learn how to "use" them!

Almost any basic "hand" prop: rope, silks or handkerchiefs, small balls, could be used in a show of the era that the OP mentions.

Check out Fitzkee's "The Trick Brain" for a list of possible EFFECTS!

Egg bag, linking rings, cups & balls, even Chinese (actually they "came" from India)Sticks, rice bowls, the little "prayer vase" and rope, Afghan bands, ETC. could work.

IT'S THE PRESENTATION!