E01322: Inscribed gem and glass amulet with the names of the Archangels *Michael (S00181) and *Raphael (S00481). Possibly Christian. Found in Salamis/Constantia (Cyprus). Probably Roman imperial or late antique periods.
online resource
posted on 2016-04-30, 00:00 authored by pnowakowskiGem:
An oval gem (calcined agate) with a low-relief of a head to the left. Designed to be set in a ring or a seal. The inscription runs from left to right on the lower margin. First transcribed by Archibald Sayce.
Ἰάω, Μιχ[αήλ]
'Iao, Michael'
Text: Salamine de Chypre XIII, no. 405.
The gem was inscribed with the names of Michael the Archangel and God as Iao (one of the Greek renderings of the name of God, frequently used in magical texts by Jews, Christians, and pagans). Sayce considered it to be a gnostic amulet.
Glass amulet:
A rectangular blue glass amulet with oblique corners, found in 1877 in a tomb at Salamis by Alessandro Palma di Cesnola.
Ἰάω,
Μιχ-
αὴλ,
Ῥαφ-
αήλ
'Iao, Michael, Raphael'
Text: Salamine de Chypre XIII, no. 414.
Palma di Cesnola describes this object as probably a part of a protective necklace, worn by a child. He associated it with gnosticism, just like the gem.
It is obvious that such gems and pieces of glass were used as protective amulets (phylakteria), and worn by their owners. Various kinds of stones were credited with different magical properties and selected regarding the desired effect. However, this kind of charm could be equally well used by Christians, Jews, and pagans, and there is no reason to associate the owners with gnosticism.
Dating: There is no reliable method to date these objects, as they were very popular in the Roman and late antique period.
An oval gem (calcined agate) with a low-relief of a head to the left. Designed to be set in a ring or a seal. The inscription runs from left to right on the lower margin. First transcribed by Archibald Sayce.
Ἰάω, Μιχ[αήλ]
'Iao, Michael'
Text: Salamine de Chypre XIII, no. 405.
The gem was inscribed with the names of Michael the Archangel and God as Iao (one of the Greek renderings of the name of God, frequently used in magical texts by Jews, Christians, and pagans). Sayce considered it to be a gnostic amulet.
Glass amulet:
A rectangular blue glass amulet with oblique corners, found in 1877 in a tomb at Salamis by Alessandro Palma di Cesnola.
Ἰάω,
Μιχ-
αὴλ,
Ῥαφ-
αήλ
'Iao, Michael, Raphael'
Text: Salamine de Chypre XIII, no. 414.
Palma di Cesnola describes this object as probably a part of a protective necklace, worn by a child. He associated it with gnosticism, just like the gem.
It is obvious that such gems and pieces of glass were used as protective amulets (phylakteria), and worn by their owners. Various kinds of stones were credited with different magical properties and selected regarding the desired effect. However, this kind of charm could be equally well used by Christians, Jews, and pagans, and there is no reason to associate the owners with gnosticism.
Dating: There is no reliable method to date these objects, as they were very popular in the Roman and late antique period.
History
Evidence ID
E01322Saint Name
Michael, the Archangel : S00181 Raphaēl, the Archangel : S00481Saint Name in Source
Μιχαήλ ῬαφαήλRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Inscriptions - Inscribed objects Images and objects - Rings and seals Images and objects - Other portable objects (metalwork, ivory, etc.) Literary - Magical texts and amuletsLanguage
- Greek
