Uncertain, 6th century. Amulet (Lead, 26 mm, 8.77 g, 12 h). *[IA]Ⲱ CABAⲰΘ MIXAHΛ Nimbate Holy Rider on horseback to right, spearing female demon. Rev. Seated figure (Christ?) raising his right hand, flanked by a man and a woman (a married couple?) standing, facing inward. Apparently unpublished. An attractive lead amulet with intriguing imagery. Very fine.


The obverse legend of this pendant amulet invokes 'Iao Sabaoth, derived from Hebrew for 'The Lord of the hosts of heaven', and the archangel Michael. 'Holy Rider' imagery appears on a large and heterogeneous group of mostly haematite, bronze and lead amulets. Their date is debated, but most objects appear to originate from the 5th and 6th centuries. On the gems, the holy rider is usually named 'Solomon' in allusion to the late antique tradition of King Solomon as master of demons. Another group of bronze pendants does not name the rider, but has the generic legend, 'The One God who conquers evil', paired with iconography similar to our amulet's.