Divine World Glyptics
Az i.e. I. évezredi pecséthengerek korpusza
MTA–ELTE Lendület
Újasszír és Újbabiloni Pecséthengerek és Istenvilág Kutatócsoport
| Object no. | S02809 |
| Description of the seal image | The seal image comprises two contest scenes. In the first one, a bearded hero grasps a rampant lion on either side, each by the throat, while standing on two reclining human-headed winged lions (shedus, sphinxes). He wears Persian clothing (court robe). The sphinxes wear rectangular, feather-topped headdresses. In the second scene, a lion-demon (ugallu) depicted in a smiting position grasps the horn of a rampant human-faced winged wild goat (ibex) with one hand and holds a dagger in the other. It wears a belted, fringed kilt and has a sword at its waist. |
| Figures, motifs/symbols |
- hero: bearded, wearing Persian clothing (court robe) - human-faced winged wild goat (ibex): rampant, bearded - human-headed winged lions (shedus, sphinxes): reclining, bearded, wearing rectangular, feather-topped headdresses - lion-demon (ugallu): snarling, pointy ears, smiting position, wearing a belted and fringed kilt, has a sword at his waist, holding a dagger - lions (2): rampant, snarling |
| Subcategory | cylinder seal |
| Collection | The Metropolitan Museum of Art / The MET / MMA |
| Museum number | MMA 1999.325.81 |
| Condition, shape | slightly chipped upper and lower edges |
| Culture | Achaemenid, Neo-Babylonian |
| Provenance | ex-Kelekian Collection; acquired by Dikran G. Kelekian between 1893–1910; donated by Nanette B. Kelekian to the MMA in 1999 |
| First occurence | between 1893–1910 |
| Archaeological context | N/A |
| Registration number | N/A |
| Dimensions (mm): height, diameter | h: 22, d: 10 |
| Material and features | "agate, banded" |
| Style | modelled |
| Scene | contest, dual |
| Bibliography |
MMA website (currently not available) |
| Object history | The publications mentioning the objects in this database were collected and the objects classified by ZN; data for the present object was input and preliminary description of the object done by GE based on the relevant publication provided, then the data was checked by MNy and the present object descriptions done by HL; object data and description were finalized by ZN (03 March 2026). GE – Gábor Erdős, HL – Huba Lőrincz, ZN – Zoltán Niederreiter, MNy – Mónika Nyitrai |