A white stone seal depicting a contest scene; to the centre, a nude hero, succouring two rearing horned animals, with a lion and lioness attacking from each side, rearing.

PROVENANCE:
From an important collection of Classical and Near Eastern seals formed in the late 1970s and early 1980s; the property of a London gentleman, cat. no.13471/307.

LITERATURE:
Accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, and by a museum-quality impression of the seal's design.

FOOTNOTES:
Prof. Lambert's comments note that "[This seal] is distinctive for details of the cutting, such as use of the drill at various points." Lot no. 343 to 379 form part of a single collection of cylinder seals which were examined by the late Professor Lambert of Birmingham University and are accompanied by Professor Lambert's own detailed notes; the collection has recently been reviewed by Dominique Collon.