A finely incised Assyrian cylindrical seal made from carnelian. It depicts a statuesque horse with a characterful face and flowing looped tail. The anatomical details are beautifully captured, rendered naturalistically in the shallow relief, with attention to the musculature. The seal is perforated longitudinally for suspension. The piece comes with a museum-quality, modern impression and is in excellent condition. 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 1.2cm x H 2.3cm Provenance: Ex S London collection, acquired pre 1990s.