Beschreibung:

NEAR EASTERN MESOPOTAMIAN CYLINDER SEAL WITH CONTEST SCENE 2500-2400 BC A carved white marble seal showing a contest scene of six figures, accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of White Marble, 30 x 20 mm. This shows a contest scene of six figures: on the right stands a naked hero succouring a domestic quadruped whose body crosses that of a lion that is attacking a second domestic quadruped, behind which stand two more such quadrupeds. A scorpion forms the terminal. This is an Early Dynastic III seal from Mesopotamia, c. 2500-2400 BC. It is worn, especially around the top, but the design can be made out.' 23 grams, 35mm (1 1/2"). Fine condition, abraded. [No Reserve] Provenance From an important collection of Classical and Near Eastern seals formed in the late 1970s and early 1980s; the property of a London gentleman. Footnotes This lot is part of a single collection of cylinder seals which were examined by the late Professor Lambert in the 1980s and many are accompanied by Professor Lambert's own detailed notes; the collection has recently been reviewed by Dr. Ronald Bonewitz. It is accompanied by a museum-quality impression of the seal's design.