Superbly carved white stone stamp seal, Levantine, 1st. mill. BC
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Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Ancient World: Near Eastern: Stone: Pre AD 1000: Item # 1483981
Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Ancient World: Near Eastern: Stone: Pre AD 1000: Item # 1483981
$295.00
An exceptionally carved and polished stamp seal in a fine pure white stone, Western Mesopotamia or Levantine costal, c. 2nd.-1st. mill. BC.
Oval seal base carved with deity standing with two palm branches and the seal handle with elaborate stepped design, really attractive.
The deity could be Ishtar. The palm branch, or palm frond, is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life originating in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world. The palm (Phoenix) was sacred in Mesopotamian religions, and in ancient Egypt represented immortality. In Judaism, the lulav, a closed frond of the date palm is part of the festival of Sukkot. A palm branch was awarded to victorious athletes in ancient Greece, and a palm frond or the tree itself is one of the most common attributes of Victory personified in ancient Rome.
Condition: Good Very fine, small depression in the base, othervise extremely fine.
Comes with original ID card from the Oberländer collection and imprint!
Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection of seals between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections. Gustav Oberländer specialized in early stamp and cylinder seals from the pre-historic and Dynastic civilizations in the Near East / Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Bactrian.
Oval seal base carved with deity standing with two palm branches and the seal handle with elaborate stepped design, really attractive.
The deity could be Ishtar. The palm branch, or palm frond, is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life originating in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world. The palm (Phoenix) was sacred in Mesopotamian religions, and in ancient Egypt represented immortality. In Judaism, the lulav, a closed frond of the date palm is part of the festival of Sukkot. A palm branch was awarded to victorious athletes in ancient Greece, and a palm frond or the tree itself is one of the most common attributes of Victory personified in ancient Rome.
Condition: Good Very fine, small depression in the base, othervise extremely fine.
Comes with original ID card from the Oberländer collection and imprint!
Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection of seals between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections. Gustav Oberländer specialized in early stamp and cylinder seals from the pre-historic and Dynastic civilizations in the Near East / Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Bactrian.
