5th-century Turkish amulet shows Solomon defeating the devil, with angels invoked by a scribe

An amulet excavated in Turkey is offering a rare glimpse at popular religious practices in the region around 1,500 years ago.

The amulet, which dates to the 5th or 6th century C.E., is made of lead and features iconography associated with both Judaism and Christianity, including the figures of Solomon, the angels Michael and Gabriel, and the devil.

The amulet is one of several dozen objects excavated from a rural farmstead in central Turkey, as part of an ongoing archaeological survey led by the University of Oxford and Selcuk University in Turkey.

The amulet is square-shaped and measures about 2.5 centimeters on each side. It is inscribed with a variety of symbols and text, including the names of Solomon, Michael, and Gabriel.

The amulet is also inscribed with a spell invoking the angels to protect the wearer from evil. The spell is likely of Jewish origin, as it is written in Aramaic, the language spoken by Jews in the Middle East at the time.

Excavations at the site have also uncovered a large number of other amulets, as well as evidence of Christian and Jewish religious practices. This suggests that the area was once home to a diverse population of people with different religious beliefs.

The amulet is now on display at the Archaeological Museum in Ankara, Turkey.