A SASSANIAN CARNELIAN ELLIPSOID

CIRCA 4TH-5TH CENTURY A.D.

Details

A SASSANIAN CARNELIAN ELLIPSOID
circa 4th-5th century a.d.
Engraved with a profile bust of a man, depicted wearing a pointed beard, his hair bound in a fillet, the drapery rendered by means of horizontal and vertical folds, an inscription behind reading "Mabuz"
.13/16 in. (2.08 cm.) wide

Provenance

Mohsen Foroughi Collection

Literature

Gignoux, Sceaux sasanides de diverses collections prives, no. 20.23.
Frye, "Sassanian Seals in the Collection of Mohsen Foroughi" in Corpus Inscriptionum Iranicum, no. 122.

Lot Essay

The name Mabuz, if Persian, could perhaps mean "the moon saves." A related, more common name is Mah-boxt, "saved by the moon."

Special thanks to Dr. P. Oktor Skjaervo for his assistance.