2nd millennium BC. A mixed group of three bronze stamp seals, including two accompanied by typed and signed notes by the late W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which state: (U-559) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze, 37 x 38 x 31.5mm. This is round, with flat compartmented face and flat back on which a stalk handle is mounted, ending is a suspension loop, The design consists of shapes, mostly abstract, but among them one can see the head and neck of a horned animal, also a seated monkey holding up some object. this comes west central Asia and dates to c. 2000-1500 B.C. It is a rare type and a fine example of its type. the handle is worn and the rim dented, but it is generally in good condition.'; (T-276) 'Stamp of Bronze, 61 x 61 x 22mm. This has the shape of a simple cross, with a stout handle of inverted U-shape on the back. The flat face is engraved with a bird on the wing: neck and head on one arm of the cross, body in the middle of the arms, tail feathers out opposite the neck and head, and wings on the two vertical arms. The head is marked with big round eye and beak, the body by triangles with dots in each, the neck by dots alone, and the wings and tail by parallel lines. This is a rare item from west central Asia and for lack of parallels not easy to date, but most probably it comes from the Kushan or Sassanian period, c. 200 b.C. to 500 A.D. It is a piece of fine quality work, and in very good condition. The metal has been conserved.'; and one in the form of a scorpion with pincers to one end, curved tail, four extending legs to one side and eight to the other, rectangular handle to the reverse. 132 grams total, 38-62mm (1 1/2-2 1/2"). The Signo collection, the property of a West London businessman, formed in the late 1980s-early 1990s; collection numbers U-559, R-943, T-276, academically researched and catalogued by the late Professor Lambert in the early 1990s. [3]
Condition
Fine condition.