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undoubtedly someone's sacred treasure. Was it a could just as well be Jewish as Christian," says Prof.
daughter of Jerusalem, a delicate maiden with the amu- Mazar, "but the pictoral inscriptions add much to our
let adorning her left arm? Or was it a strapping soldier, understanding of the nature of the owner of this amu-
fighting against the Roman legions for the freedom of let."
Israel, binding this precious amulet close to his heart?
The top row is occupied by the statue of a Man, inside
We may never know, but what we do know is that this a circle, who appears to be carried to heaven by four
2,000 year-old heirloom seems to depict scenes of Je- flying angels. He has a six-sided star on both sides
sus' ministry, including several miracles recorded in above Him. Behind the Man, three sides of a first cen-
the Gospel accounts. tury cross can be seen.

"Amulets were common throughout the ancient Middle The second row (starting from the left) depicts a group
East," says Jerusalem historian, Prof. Ory N. Mazar. of two shepherds, one leaning on a staff and raising his
"They were worn as jewelry or kept in pouches and hand towards a large star. The other shepherd is facing
were used by kings, servants, merchants, priests, com- him. Behind both, underneath the star, are two animals
moners and slaves alike." (probably sheep).

The artwork of the amulet, the engraved impressions, To the right side on the same line, the scene appears to
usually showed pictures and words often projecting depict the adoration of the Magi. (Matt. 2) Guided by a
themes or events meaningful to the owner. similar star, and with a winged angel carrying a scepter
leading them, these men bring gifts to a child who is
"This amulet," says archaeologist M. Leon, "was dis- held on his mother's lap and is extending his hands to-
covered some years ago and smuggled out of the Mid- ward them.
dle East. Only recently, a copy was found at the
Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia." On the third line, in the center, the figure of Christ
stands in the middle, scepter in his raised right hand,
Based on the information provided and the inscriptions between two kneeling women. The one on the left,
on the amulet itself, experts believe that it dates to the touching the hem of His garment, is reminiscent of the
late part of the first century or early second century woman healed of bleeding. (Matt 9:20, Mark 5:25,
AD. Luke 8:43) The woman on the right might be the Ca-
naanite woman, interceding for her daughter. (Matt.
15:22, Mark 7:26) Behind her, the scene seems to de-
"One side of the amulet illustrates the uniqueness of pict Zacchaeus, being a short man, perched on a tree-
this artifact," says Leon. Four congested, horizontal top and trying to watch Jesus. (Luke 19:2-5)
rows of figures are divided by three lines of inscrip-
tions. These rows seem to display several of the most The other two scenes are believed to be the man healed
significant scenes of Jesus' life and ministry on earth. of palsy carrying his bed (Matt. 4:6, Luke 5:24), and
The inscriptions, engraved in Greek, which was the in- another man, clearly identified by the spots on his na-
ternational language of the time, are written in the ked body, would be the leper of Matt. 8:2 and Mark
style of the Septuagint translation of the Old Testa-
ment which was concluded in the third century BC. 1:40.

The first inscription is reminiscent of Psalm 54: "O The second picture from the left on the same line ap-
Lord, give not strength to my enemies as your right pears to be a man shown naked with his hands tied be-
hand protects me everywhere." The second inscription, hind his back. Is this the demon-possessed man whose
written on the rim in a circle with a cross between the two friends, shown hovering on both sides, are just
first and the last words, reads: "Turn evil unto the heads leaving him to his torment? (Luke 8:26)
of those, O Lord our God. Do not give them power."
On the far left, a blind man washes his eyes in the wa-
ters of the Shiloah (Siloan) Pool. (John 9:7) The
"Those" may be a reference to the Roman conquerors spring itself is portrayed as a flowing creek with a
of Judea or possibly others who have ill intentions to- young man stretching out a hand to it. The bottom
ward the owner of the amulet. "These invocations

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