Stamp seal, unknown ancient Hittite workshop. Hittite stamp seal made of hematite. Carefully crafted handle with eight surfaces tapering upward, terminating in a ring and a spherical grip with a horizontally drilled hole. Circular base bears two carved ornament circles: a larger spiral tendril and a smaller inner braid. Two characters imitating Hittite hieroglyphic writing were added to the smaller circle in the 19th century. Date: 17th–14th century BC; Old Hittite period Hittite hieroglyphic characters added in the 19th century. Provenance: Karahöyük Adiyaman Province, Turkey; Hittite Empire c.1650–c.1178 BC. Medium: hematite. Type: seal. Dimensions: height 3.1 cm; width 3.3 cm., A round, dark object with a glossy black surface and worn bronze highlights shows a raised central floral or rosette motif surrounded by a ring of repeating spiral or wave patterns; the edges are irregular with a few chipped or dented areas exposing lighter bronze tones, and the overall palette includes black...
Caption

Stamp seal, unknown ancient Hittite workshop. Hittite stamp seal made of hematite. Carefully crafted handle with eight surfaces tapering upward, terminating in a ring and a spherical grip with a horizontally drilled hole. Circular base bears two carved ornament circles: a larger spiral tendril and a smaller inner braid. Two characters imitating Hittite hieroglyphic writing were added to the smaller circle in the 19th century. Date: 17th–14th century BC; Old Hittite period Hittite hieroglyphic characters added in the 19th century. Provenance: Karahöyük Adiyaman Province, Turkey; Hittite Empire c.1650–c.1178 BC. Medium: hematite. Type: seal. Dimensions: height 3.1 cm; width 3.3 cm., A round, dark object with a glossy black surface and worn bronze highlights shows a raised central floral or rosette motif surrounded by a ring of repeating spiral or wave patterns; the edges are irregular with a few chipped or dented areas exposing lighter bronze tones, and the overall palette includes black, dark brown, and metallic bronze.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A04_296

License type

Rights managed

Available size

28.6Mb (906.5Kb) / 10.5in x 10.5in / 3163 x 3163 (300dpi)

Keywords

Stamp seal unknown ancient Hittite workshop Hittite stamp seal hematite Carefully crafted handle eight surfaces tapering upward terminating ring spherical grip horizontally drilled hole Circular base bears two carved ornament circles larger spiral tendril smaller inner braid Two characters imitating Hittite hieroglyphic writing added smaller circle 19th century Date 17th–14th century BC Old Hittite period Hittite hieroglyphic characters added Provenance Karahöyük Adiyaman Province Turkey Hittite Empire c.1650–c.1178 BC Medium Type seal Dimensions height 3.1 cm width 3.3 cm round dark object glossy black surface worn bronze highlights raised central floral rosette motif surrounded repeating spiral wave patterns edges irregular chipped dented areas exposing lighter bronze tones palette includes black dark brown metallic bronze.

Please log in to download the high resolution file