A large Sasanian stamp seal formed from a beautiful white agate with a dark striation throughout. The seal is oval in shape with a domed back. Engraved upon the flat surface is a horned quadruped, possibly a caprid figure or an ibex. Its head is turned back on itself, looking right, and its narrow legs are bent, as if in motion. The seal is perforated for suspension. Some earthy encrustations and signs of wear, such as minor scratches, pitting, and chipping. Chips around the perforation hole. 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 2.5cm x H 2.1cm Provenance: Ex major S.M., London, Collection 1970-2010.