A fifth-century amulet depicting the Prophet Solomon on horseback spearing a demonic creature was excavated in Turkey, according to a recent announcement by Karabük University.
The ongoing excavation and renovation work is led by Associate Professor Ersin Çelikbaş from the Department of Archaeology at Karabük University within the scope of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's “Heritage to the Future Project,” the university wrote.
Similar artifacts had not been found before in the region, Çelikbaş explained, and the pendant drew attention with the inscriptions on both sides and its depiction.
Amulet depictions on Solomon
“On the amulet, Prophet Solomon is depicted defeating a demon with a spear while on horseback,” he said. “Prophet Solomon is a prominent figure in all three Abrahamic religions. In the Torah and the Bible, he is referred to as a ruler, while in Islam, he is also recognized as a prophet. The depiction of Prophet Solomon on this pendant surprised us greatly and highlighted the importance of this artifact for Anatolian archaeology. The pendant bears the phrase, 'Our Lord has overcome evil.'”
In the Hebrew Bible, King Solomon, the son of King David, was the third king of Israel and built the first temple of Jerusalem.
To date, no similar amulet was uncovered in Anatolian archaeology, Çelikbaş said, but a similar depiction was found in Jerusalem. The names of four holy angels—Azrael, Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael—are inscribed on the back of the amulet.
“The discovery of similar artifacts in these two distant regions indicates that Hadrianopolis was an important religious center in antiquity," he said. Hadrianopolis is the ancient city where the excavation took place, in the Eskipazar district of Karabük.
Çelikbaş also noted the pendant is connected to the ancient city’s military significance.
“In our previous excavations, we had identified concrete evidence of the presence of a cavalry unit here,” he said.
“Prophet Solomon is also known as a commander of armies. We understand that he was considered a protective figure for the Roman and Byzantine-era cavalry in Hadrianopolis.”