Carnelian stamp seal
Unknown Artist
ca. 1900–1600 BCE
Medium
Carnelian
Dimensions
Diameter 0.9 cm; H. 0.75 cm
Classification
Gems
Culture & Period
Minoan · Middle Minoan II-III
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Richard B. Seager, 1926
Accession Number
26.31.167
Tags
About this artwork
This carnelian stamp seal represents the sophisticated administrative and artistic culture of Minoan Crete during the Middle Minoan II-III period (circa 1900–1600 BCE). Carved from the warm orange-red stone prized throughout the ancient Mediterranean, this diminutive object—small enough to fit in a pocket—served crucial functions in palace bureaucracy and personal identification. Minoan seals were crafted in diverse materials including carnelian, bone, ivory, steatite, banded agate, hematite, ja...