Western Asiatic Silver Magical Scroll with Greek Inscription

Haematite cylinder seal featuring two horizontal registers with worshipping parades comprising long-robed male priests wearing ankle-length garments, seated on the stool-shaped throne, elegantly raising their left hands to hold a cup; other male priests in long garments either holding a vessel containing holy water or oil, or standing in a solemn gesture with hands raised or clasped in front of their chests. 5.26 grams, 32 mm



Acquired in the 1990s. Ex West London family collection. Property of a Bristol, UK, gentleman.

Iconographies and religious scenes seen on Early Dynastic seals are renowned for the further elaborations that depict contesting scenes, usually portraying nude heroes confronting bull-men or rampant, roaring lions. However, animals and heroes were not employed as the favourite motifs during the last part of the Early Dynastic period. Increased popularity of funerary art and banquets were richly practised in Ur, given an ample amount of royal cylinder seals that bear banquet or seated-king related scenes. On Early Dynastic cylinder seals, the image of a seated male figure holding a cup cannot always be interpreted with an extender divinity. It might have suggested a ruler's identity within a royal banquet scene. However, on this seal, the holy vessel and the representations of male worshippers indicate a clear religious significance. Within the traditional Mesopotamian religion, secular kings would have obtained divine power if they had engaged with the goddess Inanna during a sacred marriage. The cup, containing holy ointment or oil, held in the king's hand, might have been as an emblem to signify the elevated rank of a deified king. It might also have been used as an alternative religious practice, connecting the secular authority and the divine power during the Early Dynastic period.

With incised frieze of a seated figure extending his hand to a standing figure in floor-length pleated garment, second figure behind him in a fringed robe and a third holding a sceptre in a fringed robe. 6.27 grams, 20 mm



Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector; collection no.026. London collection, 2016.

Pillow-shaped tablet with columns of pictograms to two broad faces and one edge. 27.6 grams, 40 mm



Ex De Groot collection, Belgium, acquired in the 1930s. with Bonhams, London, 13 April 2011, no.137. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12118-218148.