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The Cylinder seals in ancient times, were used to make an impression in clay. But in the case of the cylinder seal, it is a picture, (a 'picture-story'(glyptic) and later, notations with ' Mesopotamian hieroglyphs), rolled onto the clay, (into the clay). (In later periods, they were then used to "notarize", or 'attest' to a clay document (in multiple copies of impressions).) The seal itself is made from a hard stone, (or of glass(Egyptian " Faience ")), of many varieties, types of rocks, often Lapis Lazuli , because of the beauty of the blue stone. In Graves , burials, etc, and other sites, for example ''a hoard'' of precious items, often contained gold, silver, beads, gemstones, etc. often including 1 or 2 ''Cylinder seals''. Other mineral types, besides , Carnelian , etc. Because Iconography , (the topics and the scenes), varied with (time) period and region, these were some of the common uses of the Cylinder seal: :Doors. :Storage jars. :Bales of comodities. :Clay tablets, and clay tablet envelopes, (see .) :Components upon Fabricated Objects. : Amuletic – \Philosophical value. Cylinder seals, are listed in today's, present day books, and books from decades ago, as one, ( 1 ), of a small category of the , etc.). "Finger rings" may have sometimes been made, to also be an "impression" ring. THEME-DRIVEN, MEMORIAL, AND COMMEMORATIVE NATURE These "cylinder seal images", are in the 'main', theme driven (often Sociological/Religious). Instead of addressing the "authority" of the seal, a better study may be of the thematic nature of the seals, since the ideas of the society are presented, in pictographic, scenic, "action-scenes", " Hieroglyphic " script, and also " Cuneiform Script ". In the "action-scene" example of Darius I 's cylinder seal, ''Darius' chariot horse is trampling a deceased lion, while he is Aiming with Drawn Bow at an "Upright, Enraged Lion with 2 Arrows Impaled."'' The scene is also framed between 2 slim Palm Trees, a Block story of Cuneiform, and above the "Action Scene", the symbol of Ahura Mazda , the 'god' representation of Zoroastrianism . showing the king hunting on his Chariot and the Faravahar .]] CYLINDER SEALS The reference below, Garbini, covers 'many' of the following "categories" of Cylinder seals. Note that the book is in the category of "Artworks, from World History". A beginning Categorization of Cylinder seals:
SEAL IMPRESSION: A COMPONENT OF A LIQUID-OFFERING RECEPTACLE The Metropolitan Museum Of Art publication, ''Ancient Near Eastern Art,'' contains ten (10) Cylinder seals, (and some '''stone types'''), and their ''modern Impressions.'' (One is in the '''''" Picasso-esque style,"''''' and impossible to categorize, and it is also "short", a non-standard length, cylinder.) A "ceremonial" Ceramic ''"Liquid-Offering Receptacle"'' is pictured(–possibly Syrian), and, as an explanation for some of the ''"cult" object's'' themes—
The 3.5 (in. square) x 12.5 in. (height) clay ''Liquid-offering Receptacle'' has an opening for the liquids, on the "roof" between the two lions. The liquid exits "frontward" through the "door"("openings", front side) of each story. At the front of the "Two Lions", a 'panel'–(as a Cornice , or a type of Lintel (archaeology) ), runs the entire ''cylinder seal impression''— in two halves. For the category of its Theme , the Cylinder seal impression approximates: '' ''" Procession,'' with '''''Bearers Bringing Gifts''''' to the '''''God's Shrine "'''''.'' See the Metropolitan Museum ref., pg 23, (Object 22). SEE SEE ALSO
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