Circa 3000 BC. A substantial stone cylinder seal with geometric design; supplied with a museum-quality impression; accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: Cylinder Seal of Fawn Stone, 34 x 27 mm. The design consists of a repeated motif of three grooves, the two longer ones curving towards the short one at the end. Some finer cuts to supply quadruped heads to the ends of the grooves are no doubt recutting. This is a seal of c. 3,000 B.C., from Syria / Anatolia / Palestine, related to the Jemdet Nasr style of Mesopotamia. Some parts of the surface are well preserved, but there is some corrosion in other parts. 44 grams, 34mm (1 1/4"). Property of a London gentleman; part of his family collection since the 1970s; supplied with a museum-quality impression and scholarly note by Professor W. G. Lambert. This lot is part of a single collection of cylinder seals which were examined in the 1980s by Professor Lambert and most are accompanied by his own detailed notes; the collection has recently been reviewed by Dr. Ronald Bonewitz.

Fine condition, usage wear.