Amulet Likely Depicting a Crocodile Discovered Near Svishtov

An amulet, most likely depicting a crocodile, has been unearthed during excavations of an architectural complex (dating from the early 2nd to the late 6th century) near the western gate of the Roman military camp and early Byzantine city of Novae, near the modern town of Svishtov. The discovery was announced by the Historical Museum of Svishtov.

The amulet is made from deer antler, retaining the material’s natural slightly curved shape. It has been finely polished. It likely wasn’t worn on a chain, as no holes were made for attachment, but it may have been sewn into clothing instead. Based on its archaeological context and comparisons with similar artifacts from other sites, the museum dates the object to the mid-3rd century.

According to the museum, in Egyptian mytho-religious beliefs, the crocodile is associated with the Nile’s high waters—which are connected to the goddess Isis—and symbolizes fertility. The presence of such an amulet in this architectural complex is not surprising, given the discovery of a stone inscription dedicated to the Egyptian god Serapis at the same site during excavations in the 1980s. That inscription, along with other artifacts from the Novae area, suggests that the worship of certain Egyptian deities and mythological beings was widespread here.

This year’s excavations at the architectural complex near the western gate of Novae began in mid-May, under the direction of Dr. Marin Marinov, archaeologist and curator at the Historical Museum of Svishtov.