18 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A ‘Talismanic Grave Tablet’ Believed to Protect From Evil Found in Silifke Castle

During excavations in the Silifke castle located on lies on a hill in the town with the same name in the province of Mersin in south Türkiye, a mysterious burial tablet believed to belong to the Byzantine period and believed to protect from evil was unearthed.

The “talismanic grave tablet,” unearthed at the 185-meter-high hilltop castle in Silifke adds a fascinating layer to our understanding of the region’s history.

This Byzantine hilltop fortress, with its moat, two dozen towers, and vaulted underground chambers, was once Silifke’s command center. It was originally built by the Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire during the 7th-century Arab raids, though the present structure dates from 500 years later.

This discovery is part of ongoing excavation and restoration efforts led by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The 13th phase of these excavations, overseen by Professor Ali Boran from Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University, has brought to light this intriguing artifact.

Silifke Castle. Photo: Klaus-Peter Simon

Work on the tablet continues. However, initial studies suggest that it was made to protect buildings or tombs from evil and enemies.

Excavation leader Professor Ali Boran told AA that the current season’s excavations revealed important findings that will provide new identities for ancient architectural structures.

‘As far as we understand from the inscriptions inside, this is a magic, talismanic tablet that was made to protect that building or tomb from all kinds of evil and enemies. Its full analysis continues with our epigraphy professors, but we see that this place is not only a city but also has different features,” Boran said.

Photo: AA

“We have not found a grave structure inside the castle so far. The tablet indicates that there was a grave structure here at that time. It is understood that this is an important tablet for the history of the region and Anatolia in the context of revealing the data.’”

“This tablet was unearthed in a place 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.”

“Similar to how some people today view a ‘nazar boncugu’ as protective, such items have been used since antiquity to ward off harm. The presence of this tablet at Silifke Castle is a crucial historical insight,” Boran added.

This finding underscores the castle’s role beyond its architectural and urban features, revealing a deeper layer of cultural and historical context.

Related Articles

Archaeologists uncover intact 16th-century quayside in the Belgium town of Leper

24 March 2022

24 March 2022

Excavations at Leper (Ypres), located in the West Flanders province of Belgium, have uncovered a 16th-century quayside. The find was...

Peru finds perfectly preserved a wooden figure in the Americas’ largest mud-brick city

29 June 2022

29 June 2022

A perfectly preserved wooden figure has been discovered at the Chan Chan archaeological site, in northern Peru, the Ministry of...

Archaeologists may have uncovered a 13th-century castle in Shropshire

7 August 2021

7 August 2021

Archaeologists have been working on a mound of land in Wem, Shropshire, that belongs to Soulton Hall, Elizabethan mansion and...

Unique 6,000-Year-Old Sacred Hearths and Karaz Pottery Discovered at Tadım Mound in Elazığ

28 March 2025

28 March 2025

Archaeological excavations at Tadım Castle and Tadım Mound (Tadım Höyük), located within the borders of Tadım Village in Elazığ, continue...

Archaeologists Find One of the Long-Lost Holy Cities in Jordan

13 July 2025

13 July 2025

A remarkable archaeological discovery in Jordan has brought one of the Holy Land’s long-lost cities back to light. Researchers now...

‘Remarkable Archaeological Find’ Metal detectorist unearths Roman cavalry swords in North Cotswolds

18 September 2023

18 September 2023

Authorities announced Monday that two incredibly rare Roman cavalry swords were uncovered in the Cotswolds, England, during a metal detectorist...

Archaeologists Uncover Oldest Greek Marble Altar in Western Mediterranean at Tartessian Site in Spain

7 July 2025

7 July 2025

The discovery of the Oldest Greek Marble Altar in the Western Mediterranean offers unprecedented insight into Tartessian culture and its...

1.5-Million-year-old Footprints have Revealed the Co-Existence of two Ancient Human Species in Kenya

30 November 2024

30 November 2024

Thanks to a set of preserved footprints on the ancient shores of Lake Turkana in Kenya, researchers have uncovered the...

A Connection Between Viking Knots And Quantum Vortices Discovered

14 December 2022

14 December 2022

Scientists demonstrated how three vortices can be linked in such a way that they cannot be dismantled. Although this study...

Archaeologists discover 7,000-year-old tiger shark-tooth knives in Indonesia

29 October 2023

29 October 2023

Excavations on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi have yielded an incredible find: two tiger shark teeth that were fashioned into...

Severe drought in Italy unearths remains of an ancient bridge in Rome

15 July 2022

15 July 2022

Continued severe heat in Italy has uncovered an archaeological treasure in Rome: a bridge reportedly built by the Roman emperor...

The Stolen Frescoes were Returned to the Pompeii Archaeological Park

20 May 2021

20 May 2021

Six frescoes ripped from the remains of ancient Roman villas years ago have been returned to the Pompeii archaeological site,...

Culinary Habits of Ancient Maltese

24 February 2021

24 February 2021

Pottery shards found at the ancient settlement were analyzed for fragments of organic residue and protein. The culinary habits of...

Archaeologists unearthed fresh evidence that bedbugs came to Britain with the Romans

3 February 2024

3 February 2024

Archaeologists working the Roman garrison site of Vindolanda in Northumberland, south of Hadrian’s Wall, have discovered new proof that the...

Artifacts found in Japan could be prototypes of ninja weapons

14 January 2022

14 January 2022

Artifacts discovered in the ruins of structures associated with warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s 1590 Siege of Odawara may be prototypes of...