Sealing

Art Historical Context

This delicate clay sealing, crafted around the 7th century CE during the late Sasanian period, a tangible glimpse into the administrative heart of ancient Persia. Measuring just 0.59 inches (1.5 cm), this un-baked clay impression—likely from a stamp or cylinder seal—was used to secure documents, packages, or storage jars by encasing cords or strings in soft clay before it dried. The Sasanian Empire (224–651 CE), the last great pre-Islamic Persian dynasty, heavily on such sealings for bureaucracy, trade, and royal control, reflecting a sophisticated system of authentication across their vast re...