The inscription inside a 3rd century AD silver amulet found in Frankfurt changes what we have known so far about the spread of Christianity in northern Europe.

The find, measuring just a few centimetres in size, was discovered during a 2017-2018 excavation in a grave of a man aged 25-35. The tomb was on the outskirts of the present-day city and dates to around 230 to 270 AD.

In ancient times amulets were quite common, though not so much in the western part of the Roman Empire. Those who wore them were believed to be protected from disease and all kinds of bad luck.

The existence of this specific amulet shows Christianity had spread early in Germany, far from the eastern Mediterranean where it appeared.

The silver amulet was probably tied with a cord from its neck, the Independent reports. Inside it was a tiny silver leaf with an inscription in Latin that archaeologists have only recently been able to read.

The leaf was compressed and a high-resolution 3D model had to be made by CT scan. Again, however, the deciphering was very difficult and required the cooperation of a multitude of experts.

The inscription, which spans 18 lines, refers to Jesus Christ and St. Titus, a trusted disciple of the Apostle Paul. “This amulet protects the person who surrenders his will to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” it also reads.