For several months now, law enforcement officers have been tracking a group of smugglers who, in their opinion, are connected with "black archaeologists" from different countries. Antiquities accumulated illegally in Turkey and neighboring countries were taken to Amasya to go from there to the black markets of Istanbul, and then abroad. One fine day, a special police detachment raided a smugglers' den - and at first did not even understand what they had found. And the finds turned out to be enchanting!
Among other artifacts, the smugglers were found to have 11 items related to ancient Jewish history! Among them - a gilded figurine of a bull, 5 books from embossed sheets of gold, two ancient copies of the Torah in metal bindings, and most importantly - a small bronze seal, which bears the name of King Solomon! Judging by the description, words are carved on the seal with the help of which the great sage and prophet Solomon - Shlomo - conjured evil spirits. This is described in detail in the Talmud (treatise "Gitin", page 68).
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Where did the Jewish values get to the "black archaeologists"? The police suggest that they were most likely found in Turkey, in one of the buildings that once belonged to the Jewish community. Or, perhaps, they appeared among the smugglers as a result of the plundering of some ancient geniza.
Mayor of Amasya Osman Varol said that, according to experts, these are items of great value, but it is too early to say to what historical period they belong. The mayor has already announced that at the end of the investigation, unique items will take pride of place in the municipal museum.
Let me assume that we are still talking not about the seal of King Shlomo himself (about the 10th century BC), but about an amulet similar to which the Gnostics used about 2000 years ago. It was believed that King Solomon - the prophet Suleiman, as the Arabs called him - knew all the secrets, and therefore they conjured demons with his name. Remnants of ancient beliefs are reflected in the well-known book "Old Man Hottabych" (if you remember, the jug in which the gin was imprisoned was sealed with the name of Suleiman ibn-Daud, that is, King Solomon).
Alexander RYBALKA