EARLY DYNASTIC III - UR I STONE CYLINDER SEAL

Ca. 2600-2300 BC
A stone seal showcases a depiction of ibexes being attacked by lions, capturing a dramatic and dynamic scene. The imagery of ibexes being attacked by lions represents a powerful and intense struggle between prey and predator. It conveys the raw and primal nature of the animal kingdom, emphasizing themes of survival and the cycle of life and death. This stone cylinder would have served as a personal or official stamp, enabling individuals to authenticate documents or assert their authority during the ancient era. By impressing the seal onto clay or other materials, individuals would leave behind a distinct impression, signifying their ownership or approval. Studied by PD Dr. habil. Pieter Gert van der Veen, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
Size: L:22.1mm / W:11.5mm ; 4.59g
Provenance: Private London collection of an Ancient Art dealer; formerly in a central London family collections 1990s; Suggested to be examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Estimate: GBP 600 - 900