Mesopotamian White Stone Cylinder Seal

Northwest Mesopotamia, c. 3000–2000 BC, possibly Ur, Iraq

A fascinating Mesopotamian cylinder seal carved from a fine cream-white stone. The surface is engraved with a figural scene arranged in a single register, depicting a horse alongside a standing male figure, possibly a deity or high-status individual, distinguished by an elaborate, flowing headdress. Although areas of the carving are now smoothed through prolonged use and age-related wear, the remaining details attest to the skill of the original workmanship and the seal’s long functional life. The seal is pierced longitudinally, allowing it to be suspended on a cord or worn on the body—an indication of both its practical and symbolic importance.

Cylinder seals were among the earliest forms of personal identification and authentication in the ancient Near East. Rolled across wet clay, they produced continuous impressions that functioned as signatures on documents, storage jars, and administrative tablets, marking ownership, authority, and identity. Beyond their administrative role, seals were also believed to possess protective or amuletic qualities, derived from both the material itself and the imagery carved upon them. For this reason, they were often worn as jewellery or attached to garments.

Today, cylinder seals provide invaluable insight into the social structure, religious beliefs, and daily life of early Mesopotamian civilizations. Their durable materials—stone, metal, and fired clay—have ensured their survival across millennia, making them among the most evocative and informative artifacts of the ancient world.

Good ondition. Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age, nicks and chip, with encrusted patina. Size approx. 3,4cm x 1,2cm x 1,2cm.

Provenance: Dutch private collection