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stamp-seal
Object Type
stamp-seal
Museum number
119703
Description
Agate stamp-seal; streaked; ellipsoid but re-cut to bezel shape; engraved on flat surface a scene with a man, possibly a king, on a couch or bench-throne; woman carrying a dish and a flask; above is a star; below and to the left, a bowl of fruit, to the right, an gazelle-head rhyton on the floor; above, an inscription; complete.
Cultures/periods
Early Sasanian
Production date
4thC
Production place
Made in:
Asia
Materials
agate
Technique
engraved
Dimensions
Length:
2.40 centimetres
Width:
2.20 centimetres
$Inscriptions
Bibliographic references
Bivar A D H 1969a / Catalogue of the Western Asiatic Seals in the British Museum. Stamp Seals II: The Sassanian Dynasty
(CF 1, pl.8)
Bivar 1968a / Kushan and Kushano-Sasanian Seals and Kushano-Sasanian Coins: Sasanian Seals in the British Museum
(pl. XV, 5)
Lajard 1849 / Recherches sur le culte, les symbols, les attributs, et les monuments figures de Venus, en Orient et en Occident
(pl.XIX,6 and p.8)
Sotheby's sale catalogue 22 June 1849 / Catalogue of the choice collection of Babylonian, Etruscan, Greek and Roman gems formed by ... John Robert Steuart Esq, 22 June 1849
(p.13, no.135)
Horn P 1890a / Sasanidische Gemmen aus dem British Museum
(p.667, no.100 (642), pl.IIa)
Pope 1938 / Survey of Persian Art
(vol.IV, 256 SS)
Sarkhosh Curtis 2001a / Parthian and Sasanian Furniture
(p.238)
(reference to bench-throne)
Ghirshman R 1962a / Iran: Parthians and Sassanians
(242, pl.297)
Harper P O et al. 1978a / The Royal Hunter: Art of the Sasanian Empire
(148-149, no.73)
Gyselen R 1992a / Notes de glyptique sassanide
(p.96, n.7)
Curtis 2000b / Mesopotamia and Iran in the Parthian and Sasanian Periods: Rejection and Revival c. 238 BC - AD 642 (Proceedings of a Seminar in memory of Vladimir G. Lukonin)
(col.pl.XI)
Location
On display
(G52/dc7)
Exhibition history
Exhibited: 2007- BM, G52/Rahim Irvani Gallery for Ancient Iran/7 2005-2006 29 Jun-8 Jan, BM, G69a, 'Iran before Islam: Religion and Propaganda, AD 224-652' 1995-2005, 17 Nov-Jun, BM, G52/IRAN/19 1994 16 Jun-23 Dec, BM, G49/IRAN/19
Subjects
mammal
vessel
fruit
king/queen
planet/constellation
Acquisition name
Purchased from:
Harry Osborn Cureton
Previous owner
Previous owner/ex-collection:
John Robert Steuart
Acquisition date
1849
Acquisition notes
Sold at Sotheby's on 22nd June 1849, Lot.135.
Department
Middle East
BM/Big number
119703
Registration number
1849,0623.19
Additional IDs
Miscellaneous number:
1967,0220.261
(additional registration no.)