A Near Eastern Chalcedony Cylinder Seal, Old Babylonian Period, ca. 2000 - 1600 BCE

Softly carved from opaque white chalcedony, the incised image of a worshiper with a scepter standing before a deity in Nimbus, with a long scepter behind, a drill hole through the length of the seal for suspension.

Cylinder seals were important instruments in the Ancient Near East and were used throughout Mesopotamia from the beginning of the third millennium to the fifth century BCE. Cylinder seals were made from various minerals with different degrees of hardness. They served an economic function, identifying the owner, and also served as amulets.

Dimensions: Length: 1 inch (2.54 cm)

Condition: Aside from a minor loss to one edge, intact and in good condition overall.

Provenance: Alex Malloy collection, acquired in the 1980s-1990s.