Description:

**First Time At Auction**

Ancient Egypt, Early Dynastic Period, ca. 3100 to 2686 BCE. A fossilized shell with a creamy color and hints of red and brown that has been carved into a cylinder seal. Abstract human, avian, and insect-like figures form two registers delineated by twin deep grooves. A wide hole has been drilled through the center to make the seal easy to carry on a cord. Size: 0.75" W x 1.85" H (1.9 cm x 4.7 cm)

Cylinder seals were initially imported from Mesopotamia prior to this period, but as Lower and Upper Egypt unified under a single dynasty, and the new rulers began to establish a unified government, they codified their own system for seals. Hieroglyphs were invented immediately before this period, and their pictographic style played a role in seal designs. Seals were used for all official government business, from sealing documents to sealing jars full of grain in agricultural transactions.

Provenance: Ex-New Jersey Collection

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#120073

  • Condition: Small area of loss on lower part; expected surface wear, but still very functional, leaving a clear mark.

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February 27, 2017 9:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000