Seal amulet in the form of a reclining cow
Unknown Artist
ca. 3300–2900 BCE
Medium
Onyx
Dimensions
1 7/16 × 1 5/8 × 13/16 in. (3.6 × 4.2 × 2.1 cm)
Classification
Stone-Stamp Seals
Period
Late Uruk–Jemdet Nasr
Department
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of W. Gedney Beatty, 1941
Accession Number
41.160.235
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite seal amulet, carved onyx around 3300–2900 BCE the Late Uruk–emdet Nasr period offers a glimpse into the of Mesopotamian civilization in the Ancient Near East. Measuring just 1 7/16 × 1 5/8 × 13/16 inches, this tiny stone artifact showcases the era's remarkable lapidary skills. Onyx, a durable banded variety of chalcedony, was prized for hardness and striking veining allowing artisans to incise fine details with precision using simple stone or copper tools—evidence of early mastery in stone carving before widespread metalworking. Shaped as a reclining cow, the amulet served dual...