Skip to content
1882
Volume 70, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 0081-8933
  • E-ISSN: 2507-0428

Abstract

Abstract

An intact magical silver ring set with a green chalcedony magical gem was discovered near present-day Megiddo prison. The ring has a tubular hoop and a low box-bezel. It’s metal is engraved on all sides with symbols and and perhaps some lettersOn the ring’s round, flat base appears a swastika within a square. A standing male-deity holding an upright snake is engraved on the gem, surrounded by further and a magical name. The ring is of a known type. It dates from the later 3rd to the early 4th century. The precise name and identity of its standing deity are unknown.

Our study has shown that a number of powerful syncretized deities are embedded it this figure; that the snake held by its god is the Chnoubis snake; and that the ring plus its gem were created to function as a powerful, protective, beneficial, theraputic item. Every aspect of this ring was calculated to enforce and strengthen the ring’s medical-magical function and aim. Together with an earlier one found of a silver magical ring in the site of Kefar-ʻOthnay with a depiction of the Anguipede on its gem, these two rings show that among the population and soldiers of the VI Ferrata legionary base and the nearby village of Kefar-ʻOthnay were believers in the authority of magi and the power of healing and overall help and protection against evil powers and maladies embedded in magical gems and rings.

© Brepols Publishers NV
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1484/J.LA.5.125232
2020-01-01
2025-12-06

Metrics

Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Historical Sources
    Eusebius Caesariensus, Onomastikon: E. Klostermann (ed.), Das Onomastikon der biblischen Ortsnamen (GCS 11.1), Leipzig 1904.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Mishna: H.D.D. Danbt (transl.), The Mishnah, London 1933.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Peutinger Map: E. Weber (ed.), Tabula Peutingeriana. Codex Vindobonensis 324. Vollstädige Faksimile-Ausgabe im Originalformat, I-II, Graz 1976.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. References
    Adams M.J. - Cradic M. - Farhi Y. - Peers M. - Tepper Y. 2018-2019. “A Betyl with a Decorated Base from the Principia of the Roman VIth Ferrata Legionary Base, Legio, Israel”, The Israel Museum Journal 9: 68-92.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Amorai-Stark S. - Hershkovitz M. 2016. Ancient Gems, Finger Rings and Seal Boxes from Caesarea Maritima. The Hendler Collection, Tel-Aviv.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Amorai-Stark S. - Ilani S. 2019. “Magical Gem Amulets from Caesareas Maritima: ‘Intact’ and ‘Broken’ Hematite Intaglios”, in Endreffy et alii (ed.) 2019: 1-36.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Bonner Campbell Magical Gems Database 2019-2020, Budapest, in http://www2.szepmuveszeti.hu/talismans/.
  8. Dasen V - Nagy Á.M. 2018. “Gems”, in https://www.academia.edu/38614491, [Uncorrected proofs] pp. 406-445 (accessed July 2019) / now published in D. Frankfurter (ed.), Guide to the Study of Ancient Magic (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World 189), Leiden 2019, 416-455.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Dzwiza K. 2019. “Magical Signs: An Extraordinary Phenomenon or Just Business as Usual”, in Endreffy et alii (ed.) 2019: 59-84.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Eck W. - Tepper Y. 2019. “Latin Inscriptions of the Legio VI Ferrata from Legio / Lajjun and its Vicinity”, Scripta Classica Israelica 38: 117-128.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Endreffy K. - Nagy Á.M. - Spier J. (ed.) 2019. Magical Gems in their Contexts. Proceedings of the International Workshop held at the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, 16–18 February 2012 (Studia Archaeologica 229), Roma.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Etwistle C. - Adams N. (ed.) 2011. ‘Gems of Heaven’: Recent Research on Engraved Gemstones in Late Antiquity, c. A.D. 200-600 (The British Museum Research Publication 77), London.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Golan A. 1991. Myth and Symbol: Symbolism in Prehistoric Religions, Jerusalem.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Maaskant-Kleinbrink M. 1978. Catalogue of the Engraved Gems in the Royal Coin Cabinet The Hague: The Greek, Etruscan and Roman Collections, The Hague.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Mastrocinque A. 2011. “The Colours of Magical Gems”, in Etwistle – Adams (ed.) 2011: 62-68.
  16. Nagy Á.M. 2019. “Figuring out the Anguipes Gems, bis: A Statistical Overview”, in Endreffy et alii (ed.) 2019: 179-216.
  17. Nilsson M. - Ward J. 2019. “Mason or Priest? A Comparison between Graeco-Roman Signs on Magical Amulets and Symbols in Egyptian Quarries”, in Endreffy et alii (ed.) 2019: 217-232.
  18. Peleg-Barkat O. - Tepper Y. 2011. “Engraved Gems from Sites with a Military Presence in Roman Palestine: The Cases of Legio and Aelia Capitolina”, in Etwistle - Adams (ed.) 2011: 99-104.
  19. Sauneron S. 1970. Le Papyrus magique illustré de Brooklyn, New York.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Schumacher G. 1908. Tell el-Mutesellim. I: Fundbericht, Leipzig.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Spier G. 2007. Late Antique and Early Christian Gems (Spätantike, frühes Christentum, Byzanz: Studien und Perspektiven 20), Wiesbaden.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Tepper Y. 2002. “Lajjun – Legio in Israel: Results of a survey in and around the military camp area”, in P. Freeman - J. Bennett - Z.T. Fiema - B. Hoffmann (ed.), Limes XVIII: Proceedings of the XVIIIth International Congress of Roman Frontier Studies held in Amman, Jordan (September 2000) (BAR International Series 1084), I, Oxford: 231-242.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Tepper Y. 2007. “The Roman Legionary Camp at Legio, Israel: Results of an Archaeological Survey and Observations on the Roman Military Presence at the Site”, in A.S. Lewin - P. Pellegrini (ed.), The Late Roman Army in the Near East from Diocletian to the Arab Conquest (BAR International Series 717), Oxford, 57-71.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Tepper Y. 2013. “Megiddo - Yoqne‘am-Megiddo Junctions, Survey (Road 66): Final Report”, Excavation and Survey in Israel 125: Fig. 4 (English-Hebrew, 13.11.2013); http://www.hadashot-esi.org.il/Report_Detail_Eng.aspx?id=4371&mag_id=120.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Tepper Y. 2014a. Legio in the Roman Period: A Historical and Archaeological Study with an Emphasis on the Ethnic, Social and Religious Components, Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Tel Aviv University (Hebrew with English Abstract).
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Tepper Y. 2014b. “The Tomb of Ephraim Bar-Shimon from Kefar ‘Othnay and the Identity of the Site’s Population in the Roman and Byzantine Periods”, in G.C. Bottini - L.D. Chrupcała - J. Patrich (ed.), Knowledge and Wisdom. Archaeological and Historical Essays in Honour of Leah Di Segni (SBF. Collectio Maior 54), Milano, 293-303.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Tepper Y. forthcoming. “The Roman Legionary Base in Kefar ʻOthnay (Legio) - the evidence from the small finds”, in J. Price - Y. Shahar - M. Finkelberg (ed.), Rome: An Empire of Many Nations, Cambridge University Press U.K.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Tepper Y. - David J. - Adams M.J. 2016. “The Roman VIth Legion Ferrata at Legio (el-Lajjun), Israel: Preliminary Report of the 2013 Excavation”, Strata 34: 91-123.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Tepper Y. - Di Segni L. 2006. A Christian Prayer Hall of the Third Century CE at Kefar ‘Othnay (Legio): Excavations at the Megiddo Prison 2005, Jerusalem.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Vitellozzi P. 2018. “Relationships Between Magical Texts and Magical Gems: Recent Perspectives”, in S. Kiyanrad - C. Theis - L. Willer (ed.), Bild und Schrift auf ›magischen‹ Artefakte (Materiale Textkulturen 19), Berlin - Boston, 181-254.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Zweirlien-Diehl E. 2019. “Dating Magical Gems”, in Endreffy et alii (ed.) 2019: 305-337.
/content/journals/10.1484/J.LA.5.125232
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field.
Please enter a valid email address.
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An error occurred.
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error:
Please enter a valid_number test
aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYnJlcG9sc29ubGluZS5uZXQv