Images: Digging Up Demon Traps in Ancient Sardis

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Lucky Charms

(Image credit: ©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis / Harvard University)

The strange deposits were placed right on top of a home that was destroyed during the 17 A.D. earthquake. The archaeologists think these objects may have been buried to prevent future disasters. Eggs and bronze tools also have a long history of association with curses and protection against evil forces.

Puppy burials

(Image credit: ©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis / Harvard University)

There seems to be a long tradition of ritual burials at Sardis. In the 1960s, for example, archaeologists found 30 of these "ritual dinners" or "puppy burials" at Sardis, which date back nearly 500 years before the eggshell offerings were buried.

Megan Gannon
Megan Gannon
Live Science Contributor
Megan has been writing for Live Science and Space.com since 2012. Her interests range from archaeology to space exploration, and she has a bachelor's degree in English and art history from New York University. Megan spent two years as a reporter on the national desk at NewsCore. She has watched dinosaur auctions, witnessed rocket launches, licked ancient pottery sherds in Cyprus and flown in zero gravity. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.