Lot 169
169
AN URARTIAN CHALCEDONY STAMP SEAL, of bluish colour, with convex sides surmounted by a ribbed suspension loop through which is threaded a tapering gold suspension ring, the gold wire terminals bound round the ring, the concave circular base of the seal engraved with a standing robed worshipper with both hands raised towards a winged solar disc, below are three script symbols in the field comprising a handled bucket, a horned quadruped's head and a human head(?) with three projections above, minor chip to base, circa 800-650 B.C.

Details
AN URARTIAN CHALCEDONY STAMP SEAL, of bluish colour, with convex sides surmounted by a ribbed suspension loop through which is threaded a tapering gold suspension ring, the gold wire terminals bound round the ring, the concave circular base of the seal engraved with a standing robed worshipper with both hands raised towards a winged solar disc, below are three script symbols in the field comprising a handled bucket, a horned quadruped's head and a human head(?) with three projections above, minor chip to base, circa 800-650 B.C.
1¼in. (3.2cm.) high overall; ¾in. (2cm.) diam.

Lot Essay

It has been suggested that the three symbols may represent the owner's name. For a similar seal without the gold suspension hoop, cf. W. Kleiss, Bastam I: ausgrabungen in den Urartäischen anlagen 1972-1975, Berlin, p. 147, tafel 39, no. 6C2'; B. B. Piotrovskii, Urartu: the kingdom of Van and its art, London, 1967, pp. 70 and 72, fig. 52

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