- Anguipede
The Anguipede is a divinity that is often found on magical
amulet s from the Greco-Roman period.The Anguipede is depicted as a creature with the head of a
rooster andsnake s for legs, symbolism thought to be of Persian origin. Sometimes inscribed below is "Iao", a form of theTetragrammaton - the four letters used to represent the name of the God ofJudaism . Such amulets as well as the usage of the name "Iao" repeatedly in magical papyri, curse tablets, gems, and other amulets, provide evidence of syncretist cults combining elements of Judaism with paganism. In theTalmud , people who turned away from Judaism to such cults are referred to as "minim" - often translated as "heretic s" or "apostate s". In other depictions the Anguipede is labeled asAbraxas .
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