Western Asiatic Black Stone Stamp Seal with Animals

Carved in the round figure of a lion crouching on its haunches, with neck arched and forepaws resting on the spine (upper edge) of an animal placed perpendicular to the lion's head biting into its flesh; the D-shaped face with teardrop-shaped sockets for the eyes, button nose, small triangular ears; the prey with legs folded beneath the body, head turned along the lion's mane and left shoulder, with small protrusive horn and ear, oval socket for the eye; integral base with rounded lateral edges, fracture at each end. 340 grams, 85 mm



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

The shank formed as a drum with ring-and-dot motif to the underside, two comb motifs to the sidewall, knop finial formed as a fist; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 34.9 grams, 36.8 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

Comprising a barrel-shaped socket with rounded collars and a hole to the rear to accept a mounting peg, a wedge-shaped blade with a stepped neck; incised cuneiform text on both faces of the blade and the socket; votive type. 141 grams, 94 mm



Private collection, acquired on the European art market in 2002. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13206-249182.

The royal inscriptions on weapons were common in Mesopotamia. Our blade, although younger, finds a parallel with an Assyrian cuneiform-inscribed bronze axe blade bearing the name of the Assyrian king Adad-nirari I, dating back to the reign of King Adad-Nirari I (1307-1275 BC) from Assyria, currently on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris.