Hero (archer) hunting human-headed winged lion (shedu) (modern [i.e., fake])

Műveletek

Object no.	S02483
Description of the seal image	The scene is framed by line borders at the top and bottom. A half-kneeling hero (archer) wearing a triple-belted tunic aims his bow at a human-headed winged lion (shedu, sphinx) wearing a brimmed headdress. The tail and the raised foreleg of the winged creature are characteristic of lions; however, instead of paws, the figure has seemingly hooves. Between the two figures is a small tree below a crescent moon, while behind them appears to be a spear rack with five spears with round butts. Above the rack is an X-shaped symbol likely representing a constellation, with one globe marking the junction and three more globes on three points of the X. Above the hybrid creature are two stars, a larger eight-rayed, globe-centred and a smaller six-rayed, while a rhomb appears below its body. Moreover, there is another six-rayed star above the archer's arm.
Figures, motifs/symbols	- borderlines (2): line borders at the top and bottom - crescent moon - hero: half-kneeling, archer, wearing a triple-belted tunic - human-headed winged lion (shedu, sphinx): raising a foreleg, wearing a brimmed headdress - rhomb - spear rack: with five spears with round butts - star 1: likely a constellation, four-rayed, globe-centred and globe-tipped - star 2: large, eight-rayed, globe-centred - star 3 (2): small, six-rayed - tree: small
Subcategory	cylinder seal
Collection	Chiha Collection
Museum number	N/A
Condition, shape	slightly chipped upper and lower edges
Culture	N/A
Provenance	acquired by Michel Chiha in trade in Lebanon between 1925 and 1945; Chiha Collection
First occurence	before 1945
Archaeological context	N/A
Registration number	N/A
Dimensions (mm): height, diameter	h: 39, d: 23
Material and features	"serpentine grise"
Authenticity (public)	modern (i.e., fake)
Style	modelled
Scene	contest
Bibliography	Doumet 1992, 180 no. 373. Doumet, C.: Sceaux et cylindres orientaux: la collection Chiha. (Orbis Biblicus Orientalis, Series Archaeologica 9) Fribourg – Göttingen, 1992.

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 (26 February 2026). GE – Gábor Erdős, HL – Huba Lőrincz, ZN – Zoltán Niederreiter, MNy – Mónika Nyitrai

Divine World Glyptics

Az i.e. I. évezredi pecséthengerek korpusza

Hero (archer) hunting human-headed winged lion (shedu) (modern [i.e., fake])

Műveletek