Many of us have an amulet or lucky object we like to keep near us such as a piece of quartz crystal, an ankh or a hag stone. Even the most avid collector of charms and amulets would find it hard to compete with a recent find in Turkey.
Researchers have found more than 600 amulets and seals near the Turkish mountain Dülük Baba Tepesi which was once a site for the worship of Jupiter Dolichenus.
The find which included items dating back from the 7th to the 4th century BC may help experts discover more about the worship of this god. What we do know about Jupiter Dolichenus is that he became identified with the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda as a lord of the universe and that the legions carried his cult to Rome.
As you might expect from a god who was favoured by the legionaries he was believed to control military matters. His cult was kept deliberately obscure with its ceremonies known only to its initiates; so it is hoped that the find can shed some light on their rites. The objects themselves include; seals and scarabs made from glass, pottery, stone and quartz. The designs on the objects are varied, ranging from geometric patterns and astral symbols to images of animals and people.
Professor Winter who worked on the discovery commented; “The results are already extending our knowledge of all periods in this holy place’s long history”.
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