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Source Description
This seal depicts two winged deities flanking a stylized tree and signed sun disc. One deity holds a pinecone and the other holds a kid. An inscription is incorporated in the scene. The authenticity of this piece has been questioned.Cylinder seals are cylindrical objects carved in reverse (intaglio) in order to leave raised impressions when rolled into clay. Seals were generally used to mark ownership, and they could act as official identifiers, like a signature, for individuals and institutions. A seal’s owner rolled impressions in wet clay to secure property such as baskets, letters, jars, and even rooms and buildings. This clay sealing prevented tampering because it had to be broken in order to access a safeguarded item. Cylinder seals were often made of durable material, usually stone, and most were drilled lengthwise so they could be strung and worn. A seal’s material and the images inscribed on the seal itself could be protective. The artistry and design might be appreciated and considered decorative as well. Cylinder seals were produced in the Near East beginning in the fourth millennium BCE and date to every period through the end of the first millennium BCE.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
10775
label
Cylinder Seal with Winged Animals with Human Heads and a Bird
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
10775
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Cylinder Seal with Winged Animals with Human Heads and a Bird
description
This seal depicts two winged deities flanking a stylized tree and signed sun disc. One deity holds a pinecone and the other holds a kid. An inscription is incorporated in the scene. The authenticity of this piece has been questioned.Cylinder seals are cylindrical objects carved in reverse (intaglio) in order to leave raised impressions when rolled into clay. Seals were generally used to mark ownership, and they could act as official identifiers, like a signature, for individuals and institutions. A seal’s owner rolled impressions in wet clay to secure property such as baskets, letters, jars, and even rooms and buildings. This clay sealing prevented tampering because it had to be broken in order to access a safeguarded item. Cylinder seals were often made of durable material, usually stone, and most were drilled lengthwise so they could be strung and worn. A seal’s material and the images inscribed on the seal itself could be protective. The artistry and design might be appreciated and considered decorative as well. Cylinder seals were produced in the Near East beginning in the fourth millennium BCE and date to every period through the end of the first millennium BCE.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore, [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Sadie Jones (Mrs. Henry Walters), New York, 1931, by inheritance; Joseph Brummer, Paris and New York, 1941, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1941, by purchase.
date
first half 1st millennium BCE (Neo-Babylonian or Neo-Assyrian)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
cylinder seals
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
2.6
height
1.2
dimensionsRaw
H: 1 x Diam: 1/2 in. (2.6 x 1.2 cm)
Source extras
cul
Neo-Babylonian or Neo-Assyrian
med
chalcedony
creator_ids
1881
7763
collection_ids
ANE
exhibition_ids
none
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
19b2907f1650a7bd