Bronze pendant: Holy Rider (A) incipit of Psalm 90/91 (B)

PP-ID:

PP-4787

Classification:

pendant

Collection ID:

Int-Shick_Gn14

Collection:

Shick Family Collection (Europe – Israel)

Collection Inventory:

Gn14

Reference Numbers:

Franek, SoMa, no. 88

Material:

bronze

Dimensions:

45.2 × 36.7 (without suspension loop) × 19 × 1.6 mm

Date:

5th–6th c. AD (J. Franek)

Iconography:

rider, holy; rider spearing the evil; nimbus; spear, cross-ended; horse; female figure; lying posture; moon, crescent

Bronze, leaf-shaped amulet with a dedicated suspension loop at the top, engraved on both sides. Intact, with traces of soil.

Side A: Crude engraving of the Holy Rider, nimbate, brandishing a spear with a cruciform termination. Either an exaggerated/pronounced horse's ear or a carelessly executed crescent appears above the horse’s head. Below the horse, an indistinct shape – likely to be identified as a female demon based on comparison with more detailed renditions of this iconographic motif on other amulets of this series.
Side B: Α cross, followed by the Greek incipit of Psalm 90/91: ο|κατ|υκο|ν → ὁ κατοικῶν. ‘He who lives [in the shelter of the Most High …]’.

J. Franek
w/ Phoinix-team, 2025

Selected bibliography
• Franek 2025 >>, no. 88.

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Last modified:

2025.08.16 12:56:00

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