Stamp-cylinder seal: Dual scene: Hunting and warfare scene depicting archer, spearman, horse-riding spearman hunting lion attacking bull (cylinder image) – lion-dragon (stamp image)
| Kategória | Cylinder Seals |
| Description of the seal image | The object is a stamp-cylinder seal. The cylinder image depicts double, i.e., a hunting and warfare scene framed by line borders at the top and bottom. A horse-riding hunter (spearman) wearing a tunic aims his spear at a rampant lion. The lion already has arrows sticking out of its head and back and is depicted jumping against a large shield held by a half-kneeling spearman on the other side, over the body of a bull. The half-kneeling figure also has a quiver on his back. Behind him stands another hunter (archer) wearing a tunic, aiming his bow at the lion. In front of him is a seven-rayed, globe-centred star at knee height. On the stamp image, there is a jumping lion-dragon. Above the creature is a crescent moon, below is a small stylised plant, while behind, there is a rosette. |
| Figures, motifs/symbols |
- borderlines: line borders at the top and bottom - bull - crescent moon: on the stamp image - hunter or soldier 1: horse-riding, spearman, wearing a tunic - hunter or soldier 2: half-kneeling, spearman, wearing a conical headdress, holding a large shield, has a quiver on his back - hunter: standing, archer, wearing a tunic - lion: rampant, with arrows sticking out of its head and back - lion-dragon: jumping, horned, with scorpion tail, on the stamp image - rosette: small, on the stamp image - star: seven-rayed, globe-centred - stylised plant: small, on the stamp image |
| Subcategory | stamp cylinder |
| Collection | The Metropolitan Museum of Art / The MET / MMA |
| Museum number | MMA 1981.325 (MMA L.1977.51.8) |
| Condition, shape | slightly worn |
| Culture | Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian |
| Provenance | ex-Martin and Sarah Cherkasky Collection (New York); on loan to the MMA by Martin and Sarah Cherkasky from 1977; gifted by them to the MMA in 1981 |
| First occurence | before 1977 |
| Dimensions (mm): height, diameter | h: 37, d: 17 (Aruz 1987); h: 34.5; d: 17.7 (MMA) |
| Material and features | "calcite" (Aruz 1987); "limestone or calcite (?)" (MMA) |
| Style | linear |
| Scene | dual, hunting, warfare |
| Bibliography |
Aruz 1987, 46 and 78 no. 91. Aruz, J.: "The Great Empires of the First Millennium B.C.". In: Pittman, H.: Ancient Art in Miniature: Near Eastern Seals from the Collection of Martin and Sarah Cherkasky. New York, 1987, 42–46. MMA: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/326657 [accessed: 14-12-2023]. |