1. Seals and Sealing in Uruk Mesopotamia Kirstin Krusell October 08, 2009 Introduction to the Ancient Near East British Museum: Pale green volcanic tuff; Proto-Elamite 3000-2700 BCE

2. The Uruk Period Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age –ca. 4000-3100 BCE Named for the Sumerian city of Uruk, also known as Warka or the Biblical Erech –Located on eastern coast of southern Euphrates Defined by gradual emergence of urban life and cuneiform writing

4. The Context of Cuneiform Urbanization and population increase –Need for more sophisticated administrative systems Earliest known written documents discovered in Uruk –Pictographs gradually transformed into cuneiform Seals found even earlier than tablets –Devised for more efficient and reliable transactions –Seals cover same geographic scope as cuneiform –Seals dated by cuneiform inscriptions

5. Cylinder Seals Variety of materials –stone and mineral: lapis lazuli (imported from Afghanistan), calcite (marble), carnelian, amethyst, steatite (soapstone), hematite –glass, faience, baked clay, wood, bone, shell, ivory, metal Often pierced lengthwise with caps at either end or topped with animal-shaped knob. –worn on pin/string, or mounted on swivel Design carved in intaglio –incised on cylinder so that impression yields image in relief

6. Ancient and Contemporary Uses Protect private property –seal jars, doors –evidence of tampering is obvious Notarize/authorize legal transactions –contracts, loans, treaties, etc. –developed from hollow clay balls/tokens Seals come to be associated with the protection of the owner –used in rituals against illness, jealousy Vast source of pictorial information –political, cultural, economic, societal aspects –genealogical information

7. Sealings: Seal-Impressed Artifacts Cylinder seal impressed hollow clay ball containing tokens & Drawing HN1100 (Pittman 1996b Hollow Clay Ball and Tokens 6000 year old site of Hacinebi in the Euphrates river valley of southeast Turkey

8. Jar Stoppers Uruk cylinder-seal impressed jar stopper. "Ears" motif. HN9410 -Op. 14 locus 80 & Drawing. (Pittman 1999:fig.3)

9. The Priest-King British Museum: White and cream calcite; Uruk, 3200-3100 BCE Social Hierarchy

10. Cattle Herd in a Wheat Field Department of Oriental Antiquities Limestone, Mesopotamia, Uruk Period (4100- 3000 BCE). Animal Files

11. Monstrous Lions and Lion-Headed Eagles Department of Oriental Antiquities; Jasper cylinder seal and impression; Mesopotamia, Uruk Period (4100 BC ﾐ 3000 BC). Mythical Beasts

12. Geometric Designs British Museum: Fired steatite cylinder seal; Uruk, Early Dynastic period, about 3000-2800 BC 3000-2334 BCE

13. Bull-men and Heroes British Museum: White calcite cylinder seal; Probably from southern Iraq Early Dynastic period, ca 2700 BC A Combat Scene

14. Banquet Scenes British Museum: Green sparry calcite seal; Ur, Early Dynastic Period, ca 2600 BCE Found in a grave at a royal cemetery in Ur Evidence of a gendered use of cylinder seals?

15. Sources British Museum Website –http://www.britishmuseum.org/ Collon, Dominique. First Impression: Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East. London: British Museum Press, 1987. Hacinebi Archaeological Excavations –http://faculty-web.at.northwestern.edu/anthropology/stein/ Roaf, Michael. Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. Oxfordshire: Andromeda Oxford Ltd, 1990. Wikimedia Commons –http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page