A Sumerian Marble Stamp Seal, Jemdet Nasr Period, ca. 3100 - 2700 BCE

This is an excellent example of an early Sumerian stamp seal. Carved from tan marble, the seal is circular, featuring a domed upper surface, a flat face, and a longitudinal suspension hole drilled through the center. The design employs the drilled-dot technique, which is characteristic of the Jemdet Nasr period. This method was favored by ancient artisans for creating bold, stylized compositions. The imagery depicts a human figure reaching forward to grasp the arm of a larger anthropomorphized animal figure, which is shown kneeling on a human-like leg. The representation of a kneeling or striding human grasping another figure, whether human, animal, or hybrid, reflects the emerging "contest scene" tradition that would become a hallmark of Mesopotamian glyptic art in the centuries that followed.

Medium: Marble

Dimensions: Seal diameter: 1 inch (2.5 cm).  Necklace drop length: 9 inches (22.86 cm)

Condition:  The seal has one minor surface chip on the reverse side, otherwise intact and in very good condition.  It has been modern strung for wearing as a pendant on a black rubber necklace with 14K yellow gold terminals.

Provenance:  Private NYC. collection, acquired from the NY trade in 2009.

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