A fifth century amulet depicting the demon-fighting King Solomon has been found by archaeologists in Turkey, referencing a book banned from the Bible for including themes of dark magic.
The amulet was found among the ruins of a military structure in an ancient quarter of the Turkish city of Paphlagonia by archaeologists from Karabuk University, according to Live Science.
That city would have been under the rule of the Roman Empire at the time the amulet was made and worn.
On the object is a depiction of King Solomon riding a horse, who, according to the apocryphal text the “Testament of Solomon,” was given a magic ring by the Archangel Michael.
“This pendant, used as an amulet, draws attention with the inscriptions on both sides and the depiction on it,” said Dr. Ersin Celikbas from Karabuk University’s Department of Archaeology, according to the Daily Mail. “The amulet depicts Prophet Solomon on a horse, holding a spear, defeating the devil.”
The pendant is inscribed with the phrase, “Our Lord who defeated the devil.”
According to the “Testament of Solomon”, the eponymous hero used that ring to command demons — including notorious demonic honcho Beelzebul — and to complete the construction of his Temple.
The names of four archangels were also inscribed on the back of the amulet — Azrail, Gabriel, Michael and Israfil all carved in Greek.
While Solomon, the song of King David, and the builder of the First Temple, is a well known Biblical figure, the amulet is an apparent reference to the apocryphal text “The Testament of Solomon.”
That text was written in the Greek language and dates back not to the times of Ancient Israel but to the sixth century, according to the academic paper “Reconsidering the Testament of Solomon,” from Sarah Schwartz.
That paper further argues that the “Testament of Solomon” available to modern readers was likely formalized in the medieval period, and that the text someone from the first millennium would have access to would likely be very different.
Schwartz also points out a foible of translating the word “demon.” The original Greek word is “daimon,” which, in Ancient Greek culture, did not have the same negative and hellish associations that the word “demon” has for contemporary readers.
The “Testament of Solomon” is not considered a canonical work by either Christians or Jews.
In the early parts of the millennium, when the Bible had yet to be formalized by any organization of Christians, many apocryphal texts were written and considered extra-textual to the Torah, Tanakh, Gospels, Letters, and other canonical texts.
“Solomon” was excluded due to its casual inclusion and interaction with demons.
The text also claims that Solomon’s Temple was first constructed with the help of demons.
