Cylinder Seal with a Presentation Scene

This seal depicts a presentation scene with a seated deity and three approaching figures. The seated deity holds out one hand, above which what appears to be an Egyptian hieroglyph is inscribed. A standing figure with hands clasped in front of them stands closest to the seated deity. A figure in a horned helmet and hands held up in worship stands next to them. A quadruped is then included in the procession, facing away from the seated deity. There is a lightning bolt above this animal. The final figure is horned and has one foot on a stool and a feather or palm in his hand. The authenticity of this seal has been doubted based on the combination of Ur III, Old Babylonian, and Syrian motifs.

Cylinder seals are cylindrical objects carved in reverse (intaglio) in order to leave raised impressions when rolled into clay. Seals were generally used to mark ownership, and they could act as official identifiers, like a signature, for individuals and institutions. A seal’s owner rolled impressions in wet clay to secure property such as baskets, letters, jars, and even rooms and buildings. This clay sealing prevented tampering because it had to be broken in order to access a safeguarded item. Cylinder seals were often made of durable material, usually stone, and most were drilled lengthwise so they could be strung and worn. A seal’s material and the images inscribed on the seal itself could be protective. The artistry and design might be appreciated and considered decorative as well. Cylinder seals were produced in the Near East beginning in the fourth millennium BCE and date to every period through the end of the first millennium BCE.

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Henry Walters, Baltimore, [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Sadie Jones (Mrs. Henry Walters), New York, 1931, by inheritance; Joseph Brummer, Paris and New York, 1941, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1941, by purchase.