A finely engraved Sasanian stamp seal formed from carnelian. The seal is circular in shape with a domed back. The flat face of the seal has been carved with a horned quadruped, possibly a bull. The figure is portrayed standing on all four of its legs, with its head turned in profile facing forwards. The animal has been portrayed with horns, a tail and a large hump. An eight-pointed star decorates the area above the animal. The seal has been perforated for suspension. Some signs of wear to the surface, such as extensive earthy encrustations, wear and scratches to the surface. A stable crack runs around the seal, visible on the face of the seal. Hairline cracks across the domed back. Seals were often made of stone however there are also examples rendered in bone, ivory, faience, glass, metal, wood, and even sun-dried or baked clay. In the ancient world, seals guaranteed the authenticity of marked ownership – as such, they were instrumental in legal transactions, and in the protection of goods against theft. Seal amulets with stylised animals have been found throughout Mesopotamia in contexts dating to the late fourth millennium BC, although stamp seals and cylinder seals were the predominant types in the ancient Near East. Measurements: (circa) W 1.6cm x H 1.3cm Provenance: Ex major SM., London, Collection 1970-2010.