Stamp seal
Unknown Artist
ca. 3rd–7th century CE
Medium
Chalcedony, tan
Dimensions
1.02 x 0.67 x 0.83 in. (2.59 x 1.7 x 2.11 cm)
Classification
Stone-Stamp Seals
Culture & Period
Sasanian · Sasanian
Department
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Martin and Sarah Cherkasky, 1983
Accession Number
1983.314.27
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite stamp seal, crafted from tan chalcedony around the 3rd to 7th century CE, hails from the Sasanian Empire, a Persian dynasty that ruled ancient Iran and Mesopotamia. Measuring just over an inch in length, this tiny gem exemplifies the precision of Sasanian stone-carving. Stamp seals like this were essential tools in daily life, pressed into soft clay to create impressions for authenticating documents, marking property, or invoking protection in administrative and ritual contexts. The seal's design features scorpions, a motif rich in symbolism across ancient Near Eastern cultures...