Ancient Christian Amulet Discovered in Turkey May Contain Biblical Passage
Archaeologists have found a 1,500-year-old amulet with a gold sheet inside, potentially holding a biblical text.
Archaeologists in Turkey have unearthed a 1,500-year-old Christian amulet containing a paper-thin sheet of gold, which experts believe may hold a biblical passage. The discovery was made at the Türkmen Karahöyük archaeological site in Konya, central Turkey.
A team of approximately 60 researchers from 13 countries was excavating the site when the amulet, dating back to the fourth or fifth centuries A.D., was found. Inside its corroded copper case is a 0.1-millimeter gold sheet on which a biblical passage was likely inscribed, according to reports. The specific biblical text has not yet been identified. Images show the amulet as a small, dark, and corroded artifact, with researchers carefully examining and cleaning it.
Excavation co-director Michele Rüzgar Massa told Anadolu Agency that such amulets are uncommon, with one similar example found in Germany. Massa suggested the amulet likely belonged to a child and may have served as an "evil-eye charm."
The Türkmen Karahöyük site has yielded other significant artifacts, including a stone seal with a Luwian inscription dating to approximately 1500-1400 B.C. This seal bears the name "Kurunti-ziti," linked to the Hittite god Kurunta. Researchers noted that while this individual may not have held a high rank, the inscription indicates a hierarchical state bureaucracy.
Deputy excavation director Hüseyin Erpehlivan described the site as occupying an important place in Anatolian archaeology due to its location at a cultural intersection. The settlement at Türkmen Karahöyük is multilayered, with evidence of habitation spanning from the Late Hellenistic period through the Bronze Age and earlier.
This discovery follows other recent finds in Turkey with potential biblical connections. Earlier this summer, a 2,500-year-old marble statue was unearthed from the ruins of Sardis, an ancient city mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Additionally, an ancient mosaic was uncovered in Smyrna, an archaeological site in modern-day İzmir.