Ancient Near East, Achaemenid Persian Empire, ca. 500 to 330 BCE. A large, grey steatite stamp seal depicting a classically Achaemenid scene: a god battles a mythical beast while a goat sits at his feet. The seal is a cylindrical bead, pierced through vertically for suspension - its owner would have worn it around his neck or wrist, keeping it close for ease of use. The god is dressed in a long skirt with a curved sword hanging from his waist. His beard and long hair are evident, though his crown has been lost. He holds long weapons in each arm - a trident and possibly a mace. The animal he faces is a winged chimera - a type of monster known as Anzu/Imdugud, depicted as a massive bird or lion-bodied eagle who can breathe fire and water. Size: 0.65" W x 1.1" H (1.7 cm x 2.8 cm); 2.6" H (6.6 cm) on included custom stand.

The story told on this seal is an ancient Mesopotamian myth: Anzu steals the tablet of destinies from Enlil (Enki), god of the air and king of the gods; Ninurta, Enlil's son, eventually kills the monster and returns the tablets to their rightful owner. This scene appears to have been a particularly popular one for Achaemenid seal iconography.

Cylinder seals played a major role in the daily life of the ancient Near and Middle East. Known as kishib in Sumerian and kunukku in Akkadian, royals, government officials, scribes, and slaves used them to transact business and send correspondence. They were worn around the neck or wrist and served as a signature and a guarantee, rolled into the moist clay of accounting and governance documents. They also link our modern world to the past - thousands of years ago, people were concerned with security and authenticity for the documents that they used to conduct business. Cylinder seals were a technological solution to a pressing problem, and their scenes are often complex to prevent forgery and identify individuals.

See a very similar example at the Walters Art Museum (42.775).

Provenance: private Zaveloff collection, Lakewood, New Jersey, USA, acquired before 2004

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#151464

Small loss to king's head and above; a few small fissures on surface but otherwise in good condition with motifs generally well preserved. Accompanied by a modern clay rollout.