Dispatch · Folklore

Bronze Holy Rider Amulet Discovered at Ancient Syedra

· via jaha.org.ro · Syedra, Cilicia, Turkey

Syedra, Cilicia, Turkey

During 2024 excavations at the site of Syedra in Cilicia, archaeologists discovered a medallion-shaped bronze apotropaic amulet. In a study published in the Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology (2026, Vol. 13, No. 2), authors Erdal Ünal, Vildan Can, and Hasan Ertuğ Ergüner date the find to the fifth to sixth centuries CE. The researchers based this chronological placement on iconographic and typological parallels with other protective artifacts of the period.

The amulet features a Holy Rider scene on its obverse side, showing a nimbed mounted figure attacking a female demon with a spear. Unlike many similar repoussé medallions from this era, this specific bronze artifact is uninscribed. The authors also report that the amulet lacks the running lion motif that often appears on related protective medallions, making it an intriguing piece for studying apotropaic traditions.

Common Questions

What was found at Syedra?
A bronze apotropaic amulet, a medallion-shaped artifact depicting a nimbed rider spearing a female demon, dating to the fifth to sixth centuries CE.
Does the amulet have any inscriptions or a lion motif?
No, it is uninscribed and lacks the running lion motif that appears on many similar protective medallions.