Levantine Stamp Seal with Griffin

£ 195.00

A finely rendered Levantine grey stone stamp seal featuring the engraving of a griffin’s head in profile with a prominent beak, the birds feathers are rendered through a series of incised lines. Further etchings are displayed around the griffin and to the back decorating the seal. The piece is pierced for suspension, suggesting the owner could have also worn it as an ornament.

Date: Circa 8th-7th century BC
Condition: Fine condition, incisions slightly worn due to ageing.

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SKU: GL-18 Category: Tags: ,

During the Iron Age, Mesopotamian glyphic traditions had a great impact on Levantine seals. Fine examples, such as this stamp seal, reflect the flourishing cultural and aesthetic exchanges which happened between these two regions. Winged-dragons or winged-griffins were one of the most favoured decorative motifs used by Levantine artists during the Iron Age. They might have been directly inspired from Assyrian winged-genies, deities usually associated with protection, life and kingship within the Assyrian religion.

For more about stamp seals, see our relevant blog post: Making their Mark

Weight 4.3 g
Dimensions L 1.8 x W 1.3 cm
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