Caption

Cylinder seal, unknown Neo-Assyrian workshop. Seal in the so-called linear style with a representation of a religious-magical scene of adoration of the holy tree in the form of a stylised pomegranate bush with a winged solar disc shown above. On both sides of the bush stand human figures in profile, dressed in identical long robes with fringes at the bottom. On the left is a priest, wearing a hat with a ribbon; on the right a king and a courtier, both without headgear. In the field behind the figures are symbols: a palm leaf and an eight-pointed star. The entire image is framed at the top and bottom with a herringbone ornament. Iconography: pomegranate bushes, winged discs, stars. Linear style. 9th–8th century BC; Neo-Assyrian period. Place of origin/ manufacture: Assyria, Northern Mesopotamia; possible finding places: Mesopotamia, Turkey, Syria, Iraq. Seal; height 3.5 cm, width 1 cm., A small cylindrical carved object shown upright against a white background, with a dark brown to black surface and a polished sheen; the object features shallow carved figures in low relief wrapping around its surface, including elongated vertical forms, stylized humanlike shapes with simplified limbs and heads, and decorative bands with repeated chevron or leaflike motifs near the rounded top and bottom; the carving shows textured linear patterns and incised grooves creating a sense of symmetry, and areas of lighter brown highlights where the polished surface catches light.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A03_086

License type

Rights managed

Available size

29.5Mb (1.2Mb) / 9.5in x 12.1in / 2844 x 3628 (300dpi)

Keywords

Cylinder seal unknown Neo-Assyrian workshop Seal -called linear style representation religious-magical scene adoration holy tree form stylised pomegranate bush winged solar disc shown sides bush stand human figures profile dressed identical long robes fringes bottom left priest wearing hat ribbon right king courtier headgear field figures symbols palm leaf eight-pointed star entire image framed top herringbone ornament Iconography pomegranate bushes winged discs stars Linear style 9th–8th century BC Neo-Assyrian period Place origin manufacture Assyria Northern Mesopotamia possible finding places Mesopotamia Turkey Syria Iraq height 3.5 cm width 1 cm small cylindrical carved object shown upright white background dark brown black surface polished sheen object features shallow low relief wrapping surface elongated vertical forms stylized humanlike shapes simplified limbs heads decorative bands repeated chevron leaflike motifs near rounded top carving textured linear patterns incised grooves creating sense symmetry areas lighter brown highlights polished surface catches light.