Ancient Near East, The Levant, Proto-Literate Period, ca. 3500 to 3000 BCE. A seal made from a semi-opaque stone that has been shaped into a cachet with an engraved insect motif. The stone is a creamy white-beige hue, simply cut to create a flat face and the top is rounded off and polished. A biconical piercing is drilled through the center for suspension. The motif etched into the seal face are 3 insects, perhaps beetles, lined up next to each other. Insects and flies are represented in Mesopotamian art and play a part in mythology; the goddess Inanna was helped by a fly. Other insect motifs have been found throughout the northern areas of the Near East. A rare and interesting example! Size: 1.2" L x 1" W (3 cm x 2.5 cm)

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection, acquired 1990s

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#165753

Chips to upper part of stone. Minor surface wear and nicks. Incised motifs are intact and clear.