Object no. | S00929 |
Description of the seal image | A horse-riding hero (archer) wearing a flat cap or headband and belted clothing aims his bow at a galloping human-headed winged bull (aladlammu) wearing a tall headdress. Between the figures, there are traces of a long-necked bird below a crescent moon. Behind the hunter is an eight-rayed star above two ears of wheat ('bottle-brush' trees), a smaller and a larger. |
Figures, motifs/symbols |
- bird: long-necked, possibly crane, traces - crescent moon - ears of wheat ('bottle-brush' trees) (2) - horse: galloping - hero: horse rider, archer, hunter, bearded, wearing a flat cap or headband and belted clothing - human-headed winged bull (aladlammu): galloping, head turned backwards, wearing a tall headdress - star: eight-rayed |
Subcategory | cylinder seal |
Collection | The British Museum |
Museum number | BM ANE 104844 – 1912-7-6, 108 |
Condition, shape | worn and pitted; "it may have been recut, especially around the plant" (Merrillees 2005, 48 no. 5) |
Culture | Achaemenid |
Provenance | acquired from I. Élias Géjou |
First occurence | 1912 |
Archaeological context | N/A |
Registration number | N/A |
Dimensions (mm): height, diameter | h: 20, d: 11 |
Material and features | "dolomitic limestone: streaked, red and pale brown" |
Style | linear |
Scene | hunting |
Bibliography |
Merrillees 2005, 48 no. 5 and pl. III. Merrillees, P. H.: Catalogue of the Western Asiatic Seals in the British Museum. Cylinder Seals VI: Pre-Achaemenid and Achaemenid Periods. (Catalogue of the Western Asiatic Seals in the British Museum. Cylinder Seals 6) London, 2005. |
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. GE – Gábor Erdős, HL – Huba Lőrincz, ZN – Zoltán Niederreiter, MNy – Mónika Nyitrai |