A KASSITE OBSIDIAN CYLINDER SEAL

CIRCA 1400-1100 B.C.

Details

A KASSITE OBSIDIAN CYLINDER SEAL
Circa 1400-1100 B.C.
With a standing bearded god gripping the horns of two rearing goats, the god wearing a hat with a projection at the front and a long robe ornamented with a cross-hatched pattern, with a vulture on the wing, a Kassite cross, a fish and a star composed of four rhombs above, and two plants with square blossoms below the goats, and a seven-line inscription in Babylonian cuneiform with the remainder spread about in the scene reading "Guard my step, Marduk. Confirm my utterance, Nâbu. Wait (on me) with assurance, Zarpanitum. Because they went out and whispered (magic spells), (because) they came in and spread (evil influence), Oh Madanu, level them off with a measuring vessel. May Marduk, great lord, hand (them) over so that he may acquire reputation," with line borders above and below
49 x 18.5 mm

Lot Essay

The inscription on this seal is long even for the Kassite Period. The first four lines are known, with some variations, on two other seals (one once London market; one New York private collection), but what follows differs on all three. Lines 5-6 on our seal are without parallel, but form a unit, and may be an excerpt from a magic text. The last two lines are also without parallel, and seem to follow on the middle section. Marduk was the leader of the gods, Nabu his son, god of knowledge and writing, scribe of the gods, and Zarpanitum his wife; Madanu was a minor god.

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