Western Asiatic Grey Banded Lentoid Stamp Seal with Animals

Spherical, undecorated bulla envelope containing clay tokens. 74 grams, 50 mm



Specialised collection of cuneiform texts, the property of a London gentleman and housed in London before 1992. Thence by descent to family members. Examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This small collection is exceptional for the variety of types, including some very rare and well-preserved examples. Accompanied by a previous cataloguing slip.

Small globular and hollow clay balls are defined as 'bulla'. They are also known as ‘bulla-envelopes', some of which are plain and some displaying epigraphic, zoomorphic and/or figural decoration, impressed by either cylinder or stamp seals. Bullae first emerged in Mesopotamia, and their earliest occurrence can be traced to circa 8000 B.C. Most known decorated bullae come from the Uruk area and offer an insight into its culture.

Composed mainly of oblate and annular beads with larger beads at the centre, restrung. 16.8 grams, 44 cm



Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s.

A fired clay brick with seven lines of cuneiform text referring to King Shihak-Insusinak I; accompanied by a scholarly note by Dr Manuel Ceccarelli, PhD earned at the University of Tübingen, Germany, which states: 'Brick with Elamite cuneiform inscription of Shilhak-lnshushinak, king of Elam (South-West Iran), ca. 1150-1120 BCE. This royal inscription celebrates the restoration of the temple of the goddess Kirisha. The inscription can be reconstructed thanks to similar bricks.'I, Shilhak-lnshushinak, son of Shutruk-Nahhunte, beloved servant of Kiririsha and Inshushinak, King of Anzan and Susa: Humbanumena built the temple of Kiririsha-of-Liyan with unbacked mudbricks, and, as it threatened ruin, I restored it to its original state: with backed bricks, I (re)built it, and for my life, for the life of Nahhunte-Utu, of Hutelutush-lnshushinak, of Shilhina-hamru-Lakamar, of Kutir-Huban, of lshnikarab-huhun, of Urutuk -EI-halahu and of Utu-ehihi-Pinigir, with this intention,for our sake(?), I gave it to Kiririsha, my goddess.''; mounted on a custom-made stand. 2.96 kg total, 34.5 cm wide including stand



Private UK collection. with Bonhams, London, 22 September 1998, no.140. Private collection, UK. Acquired on the UK art market. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages and Dr Manuel Ceccarelli's notes. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.13233-250320.

The name of this king, like that of many kings of Elam, was linked to a deity. Inshushinak was one of the major gods of the Elamites and the protector of the city of Susa in the state of Elam. He played an important role as a deity associated with royal power in the official ideology of many Elamite dynasties. King Atta-Hushu of the Sukkalmah dynasty called himself 'the shepherd of the god Inshushinak’. Many rulers dedicated new building projects to Inshushinak, using the formula 'or his (i.e., the king's) life.' The Shutrukids commonly used the title '(king) whose kingdom Inshushinak loves.'