Mysterious amulets of ancient people

The ancient and mysterious guardian talisman was discovered in Cyprus, with the exact same inscription, whether read or reverse.

The talisman written in the Greek word read backwards is the same.(Photo: Marcin Iwan / Jagiellonian University)

The back of the charm.(Photo: Marcin Iwan / Jagiellonian University)

Archaeologists from the Jagiellonian University, Poland, found a double-sided charm in the ancient city of Nea Paphos, southwestern Cyprus (the island nation east of the Mediterranean). It dates back about 1,500 years.

On one side of the charm is engraved with 59 Greek letters, when read down or backwards are the same. The translation "ΙΑΕW ΒΑΦΡΕΝΕΜ ΟΥΝΟΘΙΛΑΡΙ ΚΝΙΦΙΑΕΥΕ ΑΙΦΙΝΚΙΡΑΛ ΙΘΟΝΥΟΜΕ ΝΕΡΦΑΒW ΕΑΙ" is temporarily translated as: "Iahweh (a god) is the person who carries the secret name, the lion of Re is safe in his temple".

According to UPI, the other side has many images, like the Egyptian god Osiris, the god of silence Harpocrates, a dog-headed mythical creature imitating the posture of Harpocrates.

Researchers say the talisman is evidence that people living on Cyprus continue to practice polytheistic rituals and beliefs to the 5th century, even when Christianity became the main religion. awake under the rule of the Eastern Roman Empire.