Ancient Central Asia, Bactria, ca. 2000 to 1700 BCE. A lovely gray steatite stamp seal of discoid form with a smooth periphery and a fragmentary handle. Adorning the stamp face is an incised image of a striped zoomorph with sinuous legs, a muscular body, a slender head with a gaping mouth, and a lengthy tail that arches above its back. A V-shaped symbol in front of the creature and a segmented ground band perhaps represent vegetation, likely where this creature was hunting to find its next meal. Size: 1.9" W x 0.7" H (4.8 cm x 1.8 cm)

Provenance: private Southern California collection, USA, bestowed 2006; ex-J. Malter collection, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired before 2006

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#161157

Loss to majority of handle as shown. Minor abrasions across stamp face and top side. Nice surface smoothness throughout.