Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal
Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal

Old Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal

16547

$895.00
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Mesopotamia Ca. 1500 B.C.

Carved with battling rampant animals amid stalks, pierced for suspension.

Cylinder seals served multiple crucial functions in ancient Mesopotamian society:
They acted as personal identification and professional credentials. They authenticated transactions and documents, similar to a modern signature. They prevented unauthorized access to containers and buildings.  They functioned as protective amulets and symbols of personal identity.
The use of lapis lazuli for this seal was deeply significant for several reasons:  Lapis lazuli was considered a divine material associated with the night sky and celestial realm.
The stone was believed to facilitate communication between mortals and deities.
In Mesopotamian cosmology, lapis lazuli was thought to be a constituent element of the physical night sky.  The stone's rarity and importation from distant Afghanistan made it highly valuable.  Its use in official seals demonstrated the owner's elevated social status.
The deep blue color with gold pyrite flecks symbolized success and divine connection.
Lapis lazuli's hardness made it suitable for detailed carving and repeated use and the stone's distinctive appearance helped prevent forgery. Its smooth surface allowed for clear impressions in clay.

The combination of a cylinder seal's administrative importance with the sacred properties of lapis lazuli created a powerful symbol of authority and divine sanction in ancient Mesopotamian society 

Size: 5/8 inches (2 cm) L. Intact. 

Provenance:  Collection of David and Beverly Hall Billings, Nantucket, Massachusetts.

All pieces are unconditionally guaranteed authentic and as described in perpetuity and have been legally acquired and imported in full accordance with U.S. and applicable foreign regulations regarding the movement and sale of antiquities.

A signed guarantee of authenticity with a description and photograph of the item(s) accompanies this object.

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