A magical, talismanic tablet designed to protect against evil and enemies has been unearthed in Silifke Castle on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast.
The talismanic tablet was found inside a tomb. It was made to protect the owner of the grave or the grave.
It was determined that the tablet belonged to the Byzantine Period.
Silifke Castle is located on the west side of the city, on a hill 185 meters high.
The foundations of Silifke Castle date back to the Hellenistic or early Roman period. However, the castle looks like a medieval castle today as a result of the repairs and changes it has undergone.
Archaeological excavations in the castle are being carried out by a team of 25 people headed by Prof. Dr. Ali Boran from Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University.
A talismanic grave tablet was found during excavations around the mosque in the castle.
According to the first examination, it was evaluated that the find was made in the Byzantine Period to protect the building or grave from enemies and evil.
Excavation Head Prof. Dr. Ali Boran said, “As far as we understand from the writings on the grave tablet, this is a magic, talismanic tablet made to protect that building or grave from all kinds of evil and enemies. Its full analysis continues with our epigraphy professors.”
“We have not found a burial structure inside the castle so far. The tablet indicates that there was a burial structure here at that time. It is understood that this is an important tablet for the history of the region and Anatolia in terms of revealing data.”
“This tablet was unearthed in a space west of the mosque. The tablet is not of a very large size, but when we look at its content and writing style, it is a find that can give a lot. If we think of it as an evil eye bead, a prayer and a material that some people consider important today, these things existed in that period as well.”
Research on the burial tablet continues.
During the excavations, finds such as tear bottles, oil lamps and ceramics, which are thought to have been left as gifts in ancient graves, were found.
