Haematite cylinder seal
Unknown Artist
ca. 1400–1300 BCE
Medium
Haematite
Dimensions
L. 1.8 cm; Diameter 0.85 cm
Classification
Gems
Culture & Period
Minoan, Aegeo-Cypriot · Late Minoan IIIA
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Richard B. Seager, 1926
Accession Number
26.31.296
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite haematite cylinder seal, dating to around 1400–1300 BCE, hails from the Late Minoan III period on Crete, reflecting the vibrant Aegeo-Cypriot culture the Aegean Bronze Age.ved from dense, lustrous haematite—an iron ore prized for its hardness and ability to hold intricate engravings—the seal measures just 1.8 cm long and 0.85 cm in diameter When rolled across soft clay, it would repeating motifs, likely featuring birds, as suggested by its iconography. These tiny gems were essential tools for administration, trade, and ownership marking in Minoan society. Minoan seals like this...