Near Eastern, Mesopotamian, Assyrian, Neo-Assyrian. 883–612 B.C. Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
The Assyrian “sacred tree” surmounted by anthropomorphized winged god inscribed in crescent and wearing a headdress topped by a crescent (the Moon god Sin?). Two symmetrical anthropomorphic figures also come out of the wings. The tree and the moon god are flanked by an Assyrian official at left, and a fish-apkallu (antediluvian sage) holding cone (mulillu) and bucket (banduddu) at right. A mace stands in front of the official, and the sylus of Nabu stands in front of the fish-apkallu. The Hebrew owner of the seal is inscribed in Aramaic.
Provenance
By 1934: R.S. Cooke collection, Harrow Hill, Middlesex, England; 1934: purchased by the MFA from R.S. Cooke.* (Accession date: June 7, 1934) * Eighteen seals, 34.191-34.208, were purchased as a group for £201.
Dimensions
Overall: 2 cm (13/16 in.)
Accession Number
34.208
Medium or Technique
Pale pink chalcedony
