An Amulet for Affliction of the Eyes

Abstract

Silveri-Gentiloni reported the discovery of some gold pieces found at a grave site of Ripe San Ginesio, which borders the towns of Tolentino and Colmurano. A tomb, enclosed within a tile-covered structure, was said to contain the remains of a skeleton along with vessels of glass and fragments of a gold necklace onto which was attached a gold tubular capsule, with three suspension rings. The necklace comprised a set of soldered rectangular pieces of gold, terminating in triple pyramids, as well as two larger gold pieces, one set with an opaque emerald stone, the other with a green glass-paste. The diggers also recovered a gold ring made from a pair of twisted wire and bezelled with a carnelian engraved with a figure of “un pigmeo.” Silveri-Gentiloni provides a facsimile, but no transcription of the lamella. The text contains a readable incipit, part of an invocation, and then apparently only ‘nonsense’ syllables.