In this study Ittai Gradel and Nils Arne Pedersen develop a new approach to the apocryphal
Testament of Solomon by combining archaeology and textual analysis. The starting point is a
group of ten 3rd-century rings each inscribed in Greek: "Solomon says: 'Watch out!'" The
phrase puzzling as an apotropaic formula makes sense only in light of the Testament of
Solomon where the king empowered by a divine ring subjugates demons. In a climactic episode
Solomon orders two demons to support a massive column until the Day of Judgment - precisely
with the words "Watch out!" This unique command permanently binding the demons explains its
adoption in everyday magical practice. The rings securely dated establish a 2nd-century
date for the original version of the text and invite new reflections on its literary shape and
development. While the preserved Testament alternates between first-person and third-person
narration the inscriptions suggest that the original form was a longer third-person narrative
later abbreviated and reworked. From this basis the authors develop a theory of its
redactional history. The evidence points toward popular Christianity distinct from the
patristic mainstream. Several rings display Christian iconography one was linked to the
pilgrimage site of Abu Mena and parallels to Jewish Solomonic traditions are also apparent.
Alexandria emerges as a plausible place of origin. The interdisciplinary synthesis -
archaeology history of religions apocryphal studies and folklore - generates fresh
perspectives. The appendices enrich this contribution with translations of previously
inaccessible versions of the Testament of Solomon including one that contains a newly attested
agraphon ascribed to Jesus as well as a new edition and translation of a Syriac narrative. In
this way the authors significantly reposition the Testament of Solomon within the history of
ancient religion and literature.
