This amulet was found in a late antique synagogue in Hurvat Rimmon in the Judean Shephelah. Evidence suggests that amulets containing texts such as these were used by men and women alike. They had a wide range of intended purposes, some of which—like this one—included fulfilling romantic and/or erotic desires.

Joseph Naveh and Shaul Shaked, Amulets and Magic Bowls: Aramaic Incantations of Late Antiquity (Jerusalem: The Magnes Press, 1998).

This amulet was intended to help the owner win their court case. It is made of a thin 2” X 7.5” sheet of gold inscribed in Aramaic on one side. The amulet was found in the Balkans and dates back to the 6th or 7th century.

Shaul Shaked, and Rivka Elitzur-Leiman, “An Aramaic Amulet for Winning a Case in a Court of Law.” Jewish Studies Quarterly 26 (2019): 1–16.

Between the 5th and 8th centuries CE clay bowls such as this were found throughout Mesopotamia. Their function was to protect against demons. They were used by Jews and other religious groups. Unlike other charms and amulets which protected individuals, these bowls provided protection for entire households.

Shaul Shaked et al., Aramaic Bowl Spells: Jewish Babylonian Aramaic Bowls (Boston: Brill, 2013).