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COURTESY OF THE PAPYRUS HAUNIENSIS COLLECTION

FOLDED TO FIT INTO A POUCH OR TUBE, this fifth-century amulet opens with credal acclamations, each followed by a confirmative “amen”: “Christ was born, amen. Christ was crucified, amen. Christ was buried, amen. Christ arose, amen. He has woken to judge the living and the dead.” In the face of these acclamations (as in an exorcism), the fever and chills are said to flee from a woman named Kale, who was supposed to carry the amulet on her person. A second chant follows for added effect, commanding the three powerful objects (the “holy stela and mighty signs”) drawn on the amulet to chase away the chills and fever from Kale “now, now, now, quickly, quickly, quickly.”