Mysterious amulet discovered in Germany could rewrite history
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A third century amulet discovered in an excavation site in Germany provides evidence of spread of Christianity during early Roman Empire. Archaeologists have uncovered a nearly 1,800-year-old silver amulet in Germany, providing the earliest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps.
The artifact, known as the “Frankfurt Silver Inscription”, was discovered during a 2017-18 excavation after the researchers digitally unrolled a tiny scroll inside the amulet, revealing an unusual Latin inscription. It will likely help historians understand how Christianity was practiced in the early Roman Empire. Measuring 1.4 inches, the amulet contains a wafer-thin sheet of silver foil that was rolled up tightly.
It was discovered in the grave of a man aged between 25-35 years buried in a cemetery in the Heilmannstraße area, on the outskirts of Frankfurt. The man likely wore the amulet on a cord around his neck, concluded the researchers, as it was found just below his chin.
The purpose of such amulets, also known as phylacteries, “was to protect or heal their owners from a range of misfortunes, such as illnesses, bodily aches, infertility, or even demonic forces”, Tine Rassale, an independent biblical archaeologist not directly involved in the research, told LiveScience.
"In an era without advanced medical knowledge, such items were vital sources of comfort and security for you and your loved ones,” she added. Since the use of these amulets was rarer in the Western Roman world, its discovery in Germany “suggests that Christian ideas had already begun to penetrate areas far from Christianity’s early centers of growth”.
