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Red stone concave Sumerian cylinder seal from the Jamdet Nasr period, 3500-3000 BC. This highly polished and finely carved seal shows running quadrupeds, likely ibex. The style of seals known as Jamdet Nasr came from what is now central Iraq, from the Sumerian city of Jamdet Nasr where the style originated. It quickly spread throughout the cities of the surrounding region. This seal has a central bi-directional drill hole for suspension and measures 14 mm in height and 19 mm in diameter.
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White marble seal from northern Iraq dating from the Proto Historical period, 3500-3000 BCE, showing three sets of eyes, in a staggered pattern. It measures 20 mm x 16 mm.
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Red siliciclastic stone Sumerian cylinder seal from the Proto-Literate Period, Jamdat Nasr, 3500-3000 BC. This seal features large drill points in two rows centrally and rows of smaller points on the outside. This seal has a bi-directional drill hoke through the central axis to allow for suspension on a cord or pin and measures 20 mm. in height and 19 mm. in diameter.
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Sumerian black stone, likely serpentine, cylinder seal from the Proto-Literate Period, 3500-3000 BC. It features a manger scene with two sheep, one seated facing and one standing behind facing, with a tree to the right. This seal measures 14 mm. in height 10 mm. in diameter and has a bi-directional drill hole through the central axis to allow for suspension on a cord or pin.
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Sumerian red silicosiclastic stone cylinder seal from the Proto-Literate Period, 3500-3000 BC. It shows a pattern of Ibexes running with a linear pattern behind. This seal measures 22 mm. in height and 25 mm. in diameter and has a bi-directional drill hole through the central axis to allow for suspension on a cord or pin.
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Sumerian red silicosiclastic stone cylinder seal from the Proto-Literate Period, 3500-3000 BC. it features an eye pattern with lateral linear pattern on the sides. This seal measures 18 mm. In height and 18 mm. in diameter and has a bi-directional drill hole through the central axis to allow for suspension on a cord or pin.
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Sumerian white quartz cylinder seal ftom the Proto Literate Period, 3500-3000 BC. It features an eye pattern in three rows. This seal measures 16 mm. in height and 16 mm. in diameter and has a bi-directional drill hole through the central axis to allow for suspension on a cord or pin.
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Mesopotamian black stone cylinder seal from the Third Millennium BC with elaborate mirrored animal figures within top and bottom borders. It measures 17 mm. tall. and 8 mm. wide and has a bi-directional drill hole down the center to allow for suspension on a cord or pin. It is from the Gustav Oberländer collection. Oberländer (1926-2012) acquired his massive and important collection between 1985 – 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections. The collection specialized in early stamp and cylinder seals from the pre-historic and Dynastic civilizations in the Near East / Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Bactrian.
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Southern Mesopotamian, Sumerian black stone cylinder seal from the Second Millennium BC. It is carved with lions and birds in a row and decoration-border above. This seal measures 17 mm. tall and 9 mm. wide and has a bi-directional drill hole down the long acid to allow for suspension on a cord or pin.
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A finely carved Sumerian cylinder seal with an unusual and complex engraving. The seal depicts a complicated scene with a figure on top of a pile of round stones, a Tree of Life and a four-legged animal vertical as well as more of the drilled globular ‘rocks’. This seal dates from the 4th Millennium BC, measures 24 mm. tall and 14 mm wide and had a bi-directional drill hole through the long axis to allow for suspension on a cord or pin. It is from the collection of Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012). He acquired his massive and important collection between 1985 – 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections. Gustav Oberländer specialized in early stamp seals from the pre-historic and Dynastic civilizations in the Near East / Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Bactrian.