Cylinder seal with cultic scene
Unknown Artist
late 9th–7th century BCE
Medium
Red Jasper (Quartz)
Dimensions
H. 1 1/16 in. (2.7 cm); Diam. 1/2 in. (1.3 cm)
Classification
Stone-Cylinder Seals
Culture & Period
Assyrian · Neo-Assyrian
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
1999.325.68
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of ancient Assyria with this exquisite cylinder seal from the Neoyrian period (late9th–7th BCE). Crafted from vibrant red jasper—a durable quartz prized for its rich color and fine grain—this tiny gem (just 1 1/16 inches high ½ inch in diameter) captures a cultic scene teeming with human figures, animals, and fish. Rolled across soft clay, such seals left intricate impressions to authenticate documents, goods, or royal decrees, blending artistry with everyday administration in one of history's most powerful empires. The Neo-Assyrian culture, centered in modern-day Iraq and...