Seals of the Ancient Near East (reassessed)

koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

19 July 2010

The seals have been the subject of discussion by a number of scholars through the years: H. Frankfort, O. Keel, I. Cornelius et al. What we are doing here is to look anew at the chronology of these seals, readjust it and then to place the seals in a better context as far as time is concerned. Then the proliferations of the form of the art and its shape in time will make more sense.

Firstly, all art forms and human technology started after the Flood of Noah in 2521 BCE. All migrants had to be first cave dwellers before they could settle in mudbrick structures and then build proper urban centers. That is a natural development that has nothing to do with classical Darwinism in any of it forms, early or late. It has nothing to do with your classical fable of apes getting more erect in posture and then lost their hair and then decided to become cave dwellers until they are flying to the moon with NASA.

The book we are using is that of The University of Chicago Oriental Institute Publications Volume XXII,which is online.It is the collection of seals of Edward T. Newell and the book was published in 1934. One thing is very clear from the diagram of the chart showing the extent, mixture and overlapping of styles on the seals in various periods and places in the Levant.

The archaic style on this chart is very interesting. It follows the contours that one would expect the Bible is outlining regarding migrationism after the Flood in 2521 BCE. Look how the archaic style [in our time after 2521 BCE] started in Southern Mesopotamia and then as time went on continued in other places like Iran, North Mesopotamia, then North Syria and Cyprus, then Asia Minor. This is the proliferation for styles of archaic seals. An interesting phenomenon is the Early Bronze pottery that one can find similar styles in Mesopotamia and South Korea in about 2333 BCE at Amsa next to the Han river South of Seoul. It is called in their jargon here, prehistoric, but in essence, it is all history. It would be the time one expect people to come to Korea all leaving the ark of Noah in 2521 BCE in the Levant area.

This is the only style that one can find all over the world of that time. After this style, differences came to such an extent that only two geographical spaces were sometimes influenced by a style. The Old Babylonian and Kassite impact was widespread between 1950-1570 BCE. But, notice how all the other periods and styles were limited to two or three locales at the same time. Of course hybrids could be found all over but a hybrid is not a strong continuation of an archaic style. It is a kind of neo-style that permits mixing or fusion of styles.

It is with this important point that we set out to discuss the seals of the Levant. Just because a seal is archaic does not mean it is primitive. Just because a seal is late does not mean it cannot be crude copies of earlier versions, thus in a degenerative state.

Notes on the seals

No. 4 There are three wild deer around a palm tree. One can see their four legs, body and two horns, all as stripes of the same size. Two of the deer have tails but the other two do not. Why people need a seal is to do business and to indicate ownership of whatever product they are dealing in. They may imprint it on clay when doing a sale and economic documents have the seal on the inside tablet and then it is covered with an envelope and the outside is also sealed with the same seal. The receiver of the cattle then break the envelope after studying the seal carefully and then compare the seal outside with that inside to see if it match and that would mean that the numbers outside and inside will compare also. If there is an error, a dispute will start.

The central deer is looking back and that is a typical position of a wild deer hearing a noise nearby and trying to investigate. One deer is normally guarding or watching for danger while the others are grazing or drinking water.

This artist of the seal has a very perceptive sensitivity for wild animals. He expresses that sensitivity in his/her art. This is in the early periods after the Flood of Noah in 2521 BCE. The earth was divided ca. 2395 BCE. Ur I came to an end with an Elamite war by Awan. Kish 2 period started then and came to an end by another Elamite war by Hamazi. Erech 2 period started and followed by the Adab period of Lugalannemundu who was "king of the four quarters" and reigned for 90 years. His god was Enamzu and Nintu. This 90 year period was probably between 2485-2395 BCE, to give the nations time to multiply after the Flood in 2521 BCE. When 90 years is given, it may be from his birth although longitivity was at the order of the day after the Flood. Noah, for example lived until 2169 BCE, when he died. That means the Flood history was well reminded to many people until 2169 BCE, with Abraham been born in 2229 BCE. Abraham knew Noah. He knew the Flood account very well.

This seal dates in this long period.

No. 5. The plan was also to draw four deer on this seal.

No. 6. This is a very high form of art. It is two cows on the left and two cows on the right. They walk or stand in opposite directions. It may be domestic cows since they are walking close to each other, the one in front of the other. Two sets of horns on each side belong to at least four legs each. The artist could fit in only seven legs on each side though.

No. 7. One cannot miss the two lions jumping on their prey. The bottom animal is still alive, judging from the position of the lion and intense interest to control it from running away. The detail of the lion is excellent and very realistic. The realism matches the muscle and shape of modern lions very well. The artist was very perceptive of detail and very able to reproduce it in scale and size and harmony exactly like a photo. There was no development of art towards realism, no inability for realism in ancient times. The shape is a matter of choice and not a matter of intellectual ability. This seal is drawn with the same realism that one can see on the Samaria Seal in Iron Age Israel.

No. 8. There are three deer arranged around a center and one kangeroo. This is remarkable since kangeroo only appear in Australia. It is very possible that the seven dots has an astronomical meaning so that they point to the Pleiades or seven star which is connected with nebulae or strings, as Moses indicated also in Job 28.

No. 9. There is a central divider that divides the seal in a left and right section. Both sides are drawn in detail although opposite, yet the same. It could be a heap of snakes or two octopusses of which on can see only four legs.

No. 10. One is tempted to call these two animals sheep.

No. 11. The tail of this animal would call for a dog.

Nos. 12-14. These are probably crouching dogs sleeping in the winter sun. No. 14 may be the convincing part that it is a dog.

Nos. 15-17. What the animals are we do not know but all of them had dots: 6 large ones and 7 small ones almost like hatching eggs with chickens appearing (15) or 24 dots (16) and 19 dots (17). The dots may mean members in their family. One is inclined to look for an owl here, especially the big eyes.

Nos. 18-19. These seem to be wolf dogs with their three babies.

No. 20. It is a monkey and one cannot escape the realism of the animal. The artist has a very perceptive sensitivity of the apes and was able to reproduce that shape after 2521 BCE in remarkable detail similar to what we today experience with the apes. The detail perception of artists living in 2400 BCE and us today shows no development, no evolving trend. It is almost photo-like.

No. 21. The lion's head is cut in remarkable detail. The proportions of the eyes to the nose and the nose to the beard as well as the angles are very realistic. For art from the days of Noah (2169 BCE died) it is incredible. The other side is showing the lion in action on his prey and the detail escapes us here. That may be on purpose.

No. 22. It is an interesting relief showing what could be horse or young cow, carrying a table like platform and another smaller chair or table with two musical instruments or trumpets on both sides. It is almost an intertwined vuvuzela. On blows near the exit and the sound escape near one's head, probably to the back.

No. 24. They are three goats in front of what could have been a temple in those days. If one looks very careful at the building, the roof is consistent under the crossbars. It is because the cross bars are not on the roof but the artist is standing outside the temple area and outside the gate. These cross bars and vertical bars on each side forms the gate to the outside court. Inside and through the gate the worshipper can see the temple inside with the roof and entrance to the temple. It is in the courtyard that the three goats are facing the temple. The goats are drawn with detail and proportion that speaks of care as far as mathematics and arithmetic is concerned.

No. 25. On the left appears to be a temple and it is again from the perspective outside the outer court. One can see the entrance door to the temple. Sacrificial meat is in the courtyard. Probably four deer lying back to back (two by two) close to the temple and slaughtered cow beef or vegetables and four chickens or ducks are also in the courtyard. They are all slaughtered since their heads are severed.

No. 26. This is also a case of two sets of animals on the left lying on the floor or ground, probably for sacrifice and a set of dots on one side, 5 and on the other 4. There are also smaller dots. Whether these were the required taxes for the king that was to be brought yearly and delivered at the market of Drehem, we do not know. What we are saying is that each one with such a seal bring the animals and vegetables in the required quantity as specified on the seal and the seal serves as proof they were brought and as control checking what was required to be brought. This is just opinion though.

No. 27. There are two goats facing a tree next to the temple. There are 10 dots on the roof of the temple and there are 3 dots on each leg of the two goats adding up to 12 dots. A year consists of 12 months and we do not know if there are any correlations here.

No. 28. Two goats are facing the temple and this temple as two swinging doors. The legs of the goats are reproduced with remarkable care in detail. Also the horns.

No. 29. This is a roll seal and there are 12 divisions in the ladder like object in the bottom. Whether it is the temple or whether it is meant to be months of the year, we do not know. Was this supposed to be a tax requirement for this person to deliver these animals and their amounts at the end of the year as specified on this seal? It is probably not correct to suggest that a human or humans are sitting on small benches and holding their arms up in worship? Look at the dots: second row from the left to the right, small dot, big dot, small dot, big dot, small dot, big dot. Middle row: small dot, big dot, big dot, small dot, big dot, small dot. Third row to the right, small dot, big dot, small dot, big dot, big dot, small dot. There is a pattern here. What the meaning of this pattern is, is not clear.

The dots are definitely a picture divider in which each bench and person is separated by these dots. The dots run from side to side.

No. 31. The seal is done with utmost care in detail. Two persons are sitting with musical instruments or with lanterns in their hands. The details are very intriguing. There is some form of table or structure that separates the one side of humans from the other. The person on the left are also holding an object and there is another object behind his head which is held by someone else?. The object that separates the humans is interesting. They look like modern separators which are on stands so that they can be mobile and moved away when the function changes.

No. 33. We have here an animal and a human on the seal separated by some kind of wall in between them.

No. 34. There are at least three figures on this seal. Two of them are sitting on chairs or thrones. In the middle between the two who are seated, is a person standing with a goat on his shoulders. Behind the one seated on a chair is a deer jumping over a barrier. Two on the left are dressed in long dresses, since one can see their legs but the third one seated seems to only show his feet and not his legs.

No. 35. This seal seems to display a carpet producing industry in which two figures are seated in opposite positions with the product in the middle and on the right one can see the figure weaving into the carpet in front of him the pieces. They are sitting in a cubicle on two chairs. Over their legs are hanging many of these leaves or strips that they use to weave the carpet.

No. 37. The three horizontal registers in this seal seems to indicate three different spaces. It is seen from the top. The dead are buried in the funeral "chamber" and lies in a crouching position. Legs are in strange positions, almost broken. There is the separation wall with crosses and dots in the middle which is some rock or area between the living and the dead. The living ones are standing outside a door of entrance to this tomb. They seem to be young and dressed in short dresses. Their legs are prominent. One hand is raised, the right hand while in their left hand they are holding something, a sword, knife, or object that are all the same. It may even be a musical instrument and that these are girls singing and performing during a funeral.

No. 38. Nos. 38-40 have some things in common. There is a horizontal divider that divides the picture into two registers. The upper section and lower section. It consists of two horizontal lines. In the upper register of 38 are fighting animals. In the lower register of 38 are heroes and fighting animals. It is within some confined space of which the building's walls and roof can be seen.

No. 39. In this seal there are figures in the upper register while the animals are in the lower register. In the upper register one figure is sitting on a chair with a bold head like the Gudea figurines. There is a staff or maze in the hand of the one sitting on the chair. The person standing in front of the one sitting on the chair is holding some object that look like a funnel or a large glass filled with liquid. The person has a dress on but also the head is shaven. Behind the figure standing is probably a lantern or fire for heat and on the other chair next to this fire stand, is a seated figure with a long dress and shaven head as well. In the lower register on 39, there is a bird with spread out wings, probably a vulture, two goats looking in opposite directions. Since the Gudea figurines were known to have the kalu priest with shaven head, one could probably say these seals of 38-40 are dating to the time of Gudea. During the Gutian period Gudea was the ruler of Lagash. He claimed that he did not have a father and a mother (Kramer 1963: 93). He received a dream that he should build a house for the god. Nina was the declarer of the dreams. He ordered that the kalu priest should not sing Psalms and should not lament. He corrected the wrongs in the temple (lines 36-37, see Kramer 1963: 91 for the inscription by Gudea). Gudea was preaching his god to all nations. The Gutian invasion was between 2179-2100 BCE. Noah died in 2169 BCE. He died in 10 years after the Gutian invasion. It was at Lagash that Gudea was then ruler. He was a very pious ruler. Of course, he worshipped pantheism. Abraham was born already.

No. 40. This is also a Gutian invasion seal from the time of Gudea (2179-2100 BCE). There are two registers and at the bottom animals are fighting and in the top seated figurines or kalu priests and holding their arms up to worship. Two figures are seated and two are standing. All are raising their arms.

No. 42. If we look at the dots in the upper region on the left of the seal, it is clear that the artist wanted to put these dots in a formation. Let us presume the king or god is the big dot, then three pairs are marching behind him and one pair in front of him. On his sides are three behind each other. A total of 14 are surrounding the king or god. The dots are their heads, if seen from above. If it is the sun and planets then one would wonder why the planets are in this strict formation. It will not be realistic. In the center of the seal is a figure that is standing to what appears like two streams. It may also be fire from his feet. Two animals or bulls are facing away from this figure in the center and on the left side two figures are waiting for the charging bull.

No. 43. The bird on this seal seems to be a pelican. The bird is drawn with realism in detail.

No. 45. Two birds are shown with spread wings and legs.

No. 46. There are two registers here too and human figures in the bottom register. What impress one here is that no matter what the picture is, dots are needed to be prominent for the artist. The dots almost obscure the picture but they are necessary for the artist. That is why we think they may be functionally linked to a tax system at the temple.

No. 47. The space on the seal is filled with animals, birds and what appears like lobsters. Even the monkey like animal has a bird head. There is also a clear deer on the right. There is a confusion as to what the angle of the ground is for the artist. All are standing on their own grounds but in different positions.

No. 48. There seems to be a large snake or anaconda, two deer, a vulture and a lion on the seal. The part above the snake is difficult to ascertain. The lion and deer are drawn with utmost care in the detail.

No. 49. In this seal, lions are attacking deer and a vulture can also be seen as well as a little deer behind his mother. One wonders why the artist is so impressed in the theme of violence and cruelty to the weak and feeble in this scene?

No. 50. Two fighting deer and a vulture can be seen on this seal.

No. 51. Lions and deer can be seen in this picture but the deer are running after the lions are approaching from what appear to be a bush.

No. 52. A vulture arrives at the carcass of two deer left behind probably by the lions.

No. 53. We will take a chance and interpret this seal. It appears that the seal is divided vertically in two halves. On the left half the tree is upside down. In its branches is on the right side, a star as a dot and on the left branch a sun. In the opposite angle is also a tree on the second half. On the right side is a star or dot and on the left branch the moon crescent. Are these indications of the Morning star and the Evening star? There are twelve divisions of the tree, six on one and six on the other. When it is dark, the sun has to go through 12 divisions of the night until daybreak. When it is daylight, the moon disappears for 12 divisions until evening.

No. 54. What we have here is a channel for water which is a division of the field for crops into beds. It is after the harvest and the seeds are on a heap with two large leaves lying on top of it.

No. 55. It is possible that it is a ziggurat in the center and a channel encircling it. A large bird is flying next to it. One can see the moon crescent and a star.

No. 56. One can see a Temple, two humans and a goat in the center. The back figure raised his hand with a stick or knife.

No. 57. There is a fish, a rock?, two reclining deer or goats and the seven stars or Pleiades. The big dot and small dot may be birds but there is no flying motion. The front goat has long horns and the back one short horns.

No. 58. Human figures are standing here. One can make out four pairs of legs and feet. The central one is dressed in some kind of birdlike drapery.

No. 59. A human is standing next to a table on which a vulture is sitting. The human raises the right hand. Behind the human are two animals (cows due to the horns) and on the cow a bird is standing. Birds stand on animals when there are ticks that they can eat from the body of the cow.

No. 61. Two naked kalu priests are walking here one carrying a funnel like container with probably some liquid and the other one has a pole or musical instrument over the shoulder.

The muscles of the naked men are very realistic so that the artist had a good understanding of human muscles and the shape thereof. The realism of detail is of a high quality.

No. 62. There is a goat arriving at a temple or building. One can see a cross or X and also a star or bird.

No. 63. Two goats are running with the front one jumping. The position of the jumping goat is very sensitive perception of the detail of motion. Domestic goats jump like this.

No. 64. Two goats.

No. 65. Two intertwined goats are next to a center tree of some kind?

No. 66. This design of the rope motif is very common in the Early Bronze period ceramics and in South Korea at Amsa-Dong at the so-called prehistoric site, this rope motif can also be seen. That is why we see a connection between Mesopotamia of the Early Bronze and South Korea at Amsa-Dong for the same period.

No. 67. There is definitely a change in style here with diamond shapes surrounded by decoration, in repeated motif.

Nos. 68-70. We have a repeated simple motif here of the style change kind that is also in 67. It is not animals but patterns like a weaving industry style. It is possible that females were the cutters here and that the shift from animals to patterns is a shift of gender of the artist.

No. 71. In this seal one would expect either a gardener or female to be designing this seal. Trees, flowers, and a pond in the center.

No. 72. This is a vicious attack of deer by lions.

No. 73. There is a similar vicious attack of deer by lions but in this scene there is a temple or building and a hero or god is standing with knife or sword ready to attack the animals. If the building is a storage room with three rooms seen from above, then various items are stored in various parts of the building.

No. 74. The goats are held to the heads by humans or heroes or gods with one arm holding the one goat and the other arm the other goat.

No. 75.

No. 76. There is a graceful figure making a final bow in the center of the scene almost completing a dance performance of some kind.

No. 77. There is a human figure that holds two goats or deer by the heads with his hands and arms. He controls them from running away. Next to this are two goats that unites in the shape of the human and he is holding their tails. It is a human deer fusion here. The head is severed it seems of the deer and one can see it independently between the two deer. The realistic detail of the goats bodies are of a high quality.

No. 78. Most seal interpreters call these the heroes or gods fighting animals. There is a human figure holding two goats by the necks or heads. It may be that one is a deer and the other is a lion? In the right hand is some kind of knife.

No. 79. Two lions are attacking goats held by a human by their necks. One lion then attempts to attack the human. A scorpion is next to the human.

No. 80. Two deer or goats are held by a human figure.

No. 81. Deer are attacked by lions but protected by a human with a sword between the lions and the deer.

No. 82. There are humans and deer.

No. 83. Whenever humans and animals appear on these seals, the human is holding the animals by the heads or horns.

No. 84. There is a struggle between a human and animals.

No. 85. A powerful human is standing between animals and either fight them or hold them by the heads or horns.

No. 86. A lion is attacking a deer and then a human is attacking the lion with a sword.

No. 87. Four animals can be seen two on each side of human figure in powerful position. It is almost as if he is holding two deer by the head and lions are attacking them on each side.

No. 88. A powerful human stands with a spear between four deer and is attacking them.

No. 89. A powerful human is standing between two animals and he is holding them by the neck while a lion is attacking the one deer.

No. 90. A powerful human stands in the center and holding two deer by the neck and two lions came from behind the deer and attacked them.

No. 91. A human stands in the center between two deer which are attacked by two lions, one on each side.

Akkadian seals (92-103)

When we are using the term Akkadian, we are talking about the time of Sargon of Agade. The year is 2305 BCE. Sargon was a semite. Lugalzagezzi killed Ur-Zababa (2330 BCE). Sargon captured him and put him in chains. Sargon then washed his weapons in the Persian Gulf. He attacked Umma, went to Mari, Jarmuti, Ibla, cedar forest and the silver mountain. He attacked Elam and went to Egypt, Ethiopia and India. 5400 men ate daily before him. He created the city of Agade close to Kish. It is the city of Akkad in Genesis 10:10 (Kramer 1963: 61). When Naram-Sin later followed (2300 BCE) he also worshipped the god of Agade and was against the god and temple of Enlil. As a punishment of his desecration of Enlil worship, the Gutians were sent to invade them and overrun them. The Gutian invasion was between 2179-2100 BCE.

No. 92.

In the Akkadian seal scene, the animals stand more erect and fight as animals with human methods, blocking each other’s arms etc. A human is also combating a goat. The animal against which the lion is paired, has a birdlike head as we find in Egypt. Sargon went to Egypt so that Egyptian influences on Mesopotamian artists should be expected.

No. 93.

What characterized the Akkadian seals, is that they use both combat scenes with animals and humans as well as vertical registers in one corner clearly demarcated with division lines and writing included. The script is not Neo-Sumerian of the Ur III period, but an earlier shape, presargonic. This script was also more pictographic in shape before the nail imprints of cuneiform as we find it in the Ur III period (when Urnammu usurped the throne from Utuhegal and started the Ur III dynasty [ca. 2114 - 2004 BCE]). The art is very realistic and detail is made with care. The possibility exists that lenses were used in those days by the cutter who could shape the bodies very realistic. The star in the writing is of course the sign for "god". It looks like a lady and she or he is naked.

No. 94. The detail of the human figures and animals on this seal is of the highest quality one can wish to have. The human is standing behind the lion and pulling his tail. The detail is done so well on the human that one can see the six pack muscles on his stomach in front. He has a beard. The muscles of the lion are very detailed. The artist understanding of his subject material and sensitivity for the shapes of humans and animals are of the highest quality.

No. 95. The detail of the animals and humans on this seal leaves us with wonder and breathless. These seals are not very big and they are round so the artist has to work in a circle. It is very possible that a magnifying lense was used in the cutting of this art. The male on the left has a beard and curly hair. He is naked and one can see his private parts which is remarkable for a small seal like this to be made. The standing bull against whom this naked figure is combating horns are very detailed. The lion is so detailed that it compares very well with the Palestine Iron Age lion on a seal from Samaria. One can see the teeth, nose, eyes, hair on the neck. The nails on the claws are very clear. The combating bull body with a human head also has a curly beard and his headdress consists of two bent horns on each side. There is also a goat watching these combating figures.

No. 96. We have two combating figures against a bull and lion. The human head figure pushes a knife into the breast of the lion. The lion is in trouble and falls somewhat to the back. The other figure who is combating the bull has a knife in his right hand also. Some bronze lampstand or similar is in the center between the two combating scenes.

No. 97. In both these combating scenes, the human like figures with animal legs were successful in killing the bull and the lion since they are holding them by the one back leg and the bull and lion on hanging head down. There is a + sign at the feet of the one combating hero. The six pack, the curly hair all detail that means they used a magnifying glass to imprint this.

No. 98. Combating human like figures with a bull and lion is depicted in great detail.

No. 99. The combating hero on the left of the seal is using a hammer or an axe to combat the animal. A boy is standing behind the animal or bull. Instead of a lion it is a human that is combating the other human on the right.

No. 100. Two humans are combating the lion and the bull or wild deer and a sheep is looking on at the bottom under the writing box. They are using knives and their hair is not curly and the headdresses are round.

No. 101. While the human like figure with a horn headdress is fighting the bull the lion turned around and want to attack the bull from behind but the other figure is holding the lion by the tail.

No. 102. A combating figure is fighting a bull.

No. 103. The lion and the bull are attacked by two human like figures. The detail is painfully precise. They are wearing dresses/skirts but not long ones.

Sumero-Akkadian (104-129)

No. 104. Two humans are combating an animal and there is a box with the writing in. We recognize the star "god" in the first register on the left. There is detail but the men are very skinny.

No. 105. There are the two combat heroes and the winged lion standing very erect. In the box it is written with Pre-sargonic and Sargonic writing styles.

No. 106. In a very crude style, a skinny figure is in the center and flanked by two deer which is in turn attacked from behind by two lions. There is no writing.

No. 107. The lion is attacked by two figures, one in front and the other behind. Their headdresses is round. They are almost bold. In the box on each side with Sargonic script is the star of the sign for "god".

No. 108. The figure is also combating and killing the lion. There is a box for writing.

No. 109. It is very crude piece of art of humans combating a lion.

No. 110. A combating scene between deer and lions can be seen with no humans and no writing. It is typically Sumerian of the earlier kind.

No. 111. Two bulls are attacked by two lions.

No. 112. Two deer are attacked by two lions intertwined. A human is standing on the side.

No. 114. The hero who is normally combating a lion or bull with the upcurling horn headdress is seated on a throne and there is a tree behind him. Above is the lunar crescent. Two figures are approaching, also with headdresses. It appears as if a woman is bringing a man to the one sitting on the throne. They all have long dresses on.

No. 115. With incredible detail, three women are approaching a man sitting on a throne with the upcurling horns headdress. A moon crescent is in front of the one seated. The dresses have a wide seem on the bottom. Over the one shoulder is hanging a cloth.

No. 116. Three figures from the left approaches a man sitting on a throne. Two of the figures also have the same upcurled horn headdress as the other one seated. The moon crescent can be seen. There is an artificial metal tree behind the one seated.

No. 117. A woman is bringing a man to someone who is seated. One wonders if it is the judge who has to make a judgement in a court on a case or whether it is a worshipper approaching a god? There is a monkey near the throne.

No. 118. The one seated is sitting next to a large lake with swimming geese in it. The person are brought in by a court official to the one seated. There is a box with writing. It is not Neo-Sumerian. It is older than 2114 BCE. There is the Akkadian element and that would place it after the time of Sargon the Great.

No. 119. There are two people approaching a seated one and there is a bird in front of the seated one. A standing lion is behind the one seated.

No. 120. Two are approaching one seated, a bird in between and a sheep behind the seated one.

No. 121. Combating lions and figures.

No. 122. Two are approaching a god or king or human seated on a throne. A lunar crescent can be seen above. A piece of furniture is in front of the one seated.

No. 123. Two men are approaching someone on a chair. A lunar crescent can be seen in front and above the one seated. Behind the one seated are someone with a weapon and he may be the guard.

No. 124. Two worshippers approaching a man seated on a chair, throne. Above is a birdlike vulture where the crescent moon normally is. A monkey sits in front of the one seated and if one look carefully, there is a small monkey behind the one on the chair grabbing the leg of the chair. The one on the chair is dressed in a dress with five or more foldings around the body. The writing is not Neo-Sumerian and dates earlier in the archaic period after the Flood but in the Akkadian period since the writing is in boxes on the same seal. Thus, it may date to 2305 BCE, the time of Sargon the Great. There is also a duck under the vulture. It appears that there is a walking snake between the two approaching the seated one.

No. 125. A king or judge is seated and someone is bringing a person closer to him by leading him by the hand. They are wearing headdresses. There is a lunar crescent above the one on the seat. There may be a monkey in front of the one seated. There is a piece of furniture between the two people.

No. 126. The writing is in old archaic script before the cuneiform script. Two stars can be seen which means "gods". A man is sitting on a chair and one is leading someone to him by the hand. The lunar crescent in this picture is on some kind of pole or totem. Behind the seated one is a bird and a duck.

No. 127. Someone is brought by the hand to a person standing. Normally the person is seated but here he is standing. It appears that he is in his military suit. There is the crescent moon at the top in front of the man standing. There is a monkey or piece of furniture in front of the man in his military clothes. The star (dingir = god) is also in the writing.

No. 128. A person is seated and someone is leading a person to the one seated on the chair or seat. A duck is in front of the one seated on the throne, chair or seat. The moon crescent is more flat in this scene. The dress of the one seated on the chair has folds up to 6 or more on the dress. The dress of the one leading the person in by the hand, has folds that go all the way vertically down.

No. 129. A person is bringing another by hand to one sitting on the seat. A scorpion is where the duck and monkey is on other seals. The lunar crescent is on a totem above the one sitting on the chair. Between the two approaching is a totem with five points maybe six which could be a group of stars. Seven would be the Pleiades but five we do not know.

No. 130. A person is leading another to one seated on a chair. The dresses are draped with seven or more folds around the body from the feet to the shoulders. The lunar crescent can be seen. A monkey is on the side in front of the one seated. Behind the one seated is someone standing with a snake or sword in his hand. The writing is archaic, Sargonic and not Neo-Sumerian (from 2114 BCE).

Sumero-Akkadian (131-143)

No. 131. The detail on this seal is breathtaking. There is a crescent moon above the one seated and a sun in the middle of the crescent. The one on the chair, throne or seat is wearing the draped dress that is draped around the body from the feet to the shoulders nearly eight times. A parrot is sitting on the shoulders of the one seated looking back. The woman leading the man in by the hand to the one seated on the throne is wearing not a draped dress with seven to nine folds from the feet to the shoulders, but the dress has folds down her body instead. She also wears the same headdress as the one seated. The script is very interesting. One can see the beginning of the Neo-Sumerian counting system where the nails are used to count. The seal is probably later than 2114 BCE and dates to the Ur III period. This is the time when Urnammu became king at Ur.

No. 132. A man is brought in by someone with a long dress draped nearly nine times around his/her body. The one seated also has the same dress draped eight or nine times around the body from the bottom to the shoulders. The two share also the same headdresses. The one coming in has a long embroided seam dress but the shoulders are open so that it may be a man. There is a totem on the side next to the one seated.

No. 133. In the box of writing in archaic script there are two stars (dingir = god) and the person with draped dress is leading someone to one seated on a chair. His dress is also draped around him about nine times. There is a crescent moon above the one seated on the chair. Between the two approaching there may be an animal or duck.

Source: The book is in the Library of the University of Chicago and is online available at ETANA online resources (click on electronic texts and search at number 12)

Hans Henning von der Osten, Ancient Oriental Seals in the Collection of mr. Edward T. Newell in The University of Chicago Oriental Institute Publications Vol. 22 (1934)

http://www.etana.org/coretexts.shtml