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cylinder seal
Object Type
cylinder seal
Museum number
140368
Description
Faience cylinder seal; now greyish and red; incised, "bucranium" design?; a crescent-standard with lines indicating tassles, a tree consisting of a vertical with branches rising on either side, a damaged area and a short vertical line. Line borders at top and bottom. The seal is extensively weathered but appears to have consisted of a hard dark core with turquoise-blue glaze. In addition, purple-red pigmentation is partly preserved on the seal, mainly in the recessed areas of the intaglio. Pierced. One is side is badly weathered and pitted; most of the surface is worn away.
Cultures/periods
Neo-Assyrian
(?)
Late Babylonian
(?)
Production date
7thC BC
(?)
Findspot
Excavated/Findspot:
Nimrud
, Against inner face of the city wall, subsurface, north of A.50.
Materials
glazed composition
Technique
glazed
intaglio
(?)
pierced
incised
Dimensions
Diameter:
0.95 centimetres
Height:
2.30 centimetres
Curator's comments
According to the catalogue "XRF analysis suggested that a blue copper colourant was used".
Bibliographic references
Collon 2001a / Catalogue of the Western Asiatic Seals in the British Museum: Cylinder Seals V: Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian Periods
(221, pl.XVIII)
Parker B 1955 / Excavations at Nimrud 1949-53: Seals and seal impressions
(pl.XVII:3)
(cf:)
Location
Not on display
Condition
Fair / poor; seal is extensively weathered; one side is badly weathered and pitted; most of the surface is worn away.
Subjects
sun/moon
tree/bush
Acquisition name
Purchased from:
British School of Archaeology, Iraq
Division of Finds:
Department of Antiquities of Iraq
Acquisition date
1987
Department
Middle East
BM/Big number
140368
Registration number
1987,0131.41
Additional IDs
Excavation/small finds number:
ND.1019
(excavation number)