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cylinder seal
Object Type
cylinder seal
Museum number
103321
Description
Greenstone facies cylinder seal, contest scene - bull-man (full-face) in conflict with a lion. Bull (or bison) in conflict with a hero who wears a skirt. In the field between the two groups, a star-disc in a crescent. Terminal, the hero was recut to leave enough room for an inscription which was added a later date. The bull-man also had to be partially erased to accommodate the long inscription whose frame is incomplete and one sign of which had to be written on a lower line because of lack of space. The star-disc and crescent were probably added at the same time and the upper part of the bull was recut.
Cultures/periods
Akkadian
(original seal)
Third Dynasty of Ur
(inscription and other details)
Production date
2100BC-2000BC
Materials
greenstone
Dimensions
Length:
3.15 centimetres
Length:
1.50 inches
Width:
1.65 centimetres
Width:
0.625 inches
$Inscriptions
Bibliographic references
Collon 1982a / Catalogue of the Western Asiatic Seals in the British Museum: Cylinder Seals II: Akkadian, Post Akkadian, Ur III Periods
(87, pl.XI)
Location
Not on display
Subjects
mammal
mythical figure/creature
sun/moon
planet/constellation
Associated names
Named in inscription:
Amar-Suen
Named in inscription:
Nin'aga-a
Acquisition name
Purchased from:
I Élias Géjou
Acquisition date
1911
Department
Middle East
BM/Big number
103321
Registration number
1911,0408.11