Cylinder seal
Unknown Artist
ca. early 2nd millennium BCE
Medium
Hematite
Dimensions
H. 7/8 in. (2.3 cm); Diam. 3/8 in. (1 cm)
Classification
Stone-Cylinder Seals-Inscribed
Culture & Period
Babylonian · Old Babylonian
Department
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Nanette B. Kelekian, in memory of Charles Dikran and Beatrice Kelekian, 1999
Accession Number
1999.325.38
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite hematite cylinder seal, dating to the early 2nd millennium BCE during the Old Babylonian period, offers a window into the bustling administrative world of ancient Mesopotamia. Crafted by an unknown Babylonian artist, these small stone cylinders—measuring just 7/8 inch high and 3/8 inch in diameter—were rolled across wet clay to create impressions, serving as personalized seals for documents, goods, and transactions. Much like a modern signature, they authenticated ownership and authority in a society reliant on cuneiform record-keeping. Carved with remarkable precision from hem...