A finely rendered carnelian Sasanian stamp seal featuring a circular shape with a domed back. The flat face of the seal has been carved with the depiction of a zoomorphic creature, possibly a lion. The animal is depicted in a stylised manner with a fluffy mane and a large head. The seal is perforated horizontally for suspension. Please note the impression is for reference only. 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: L 1.3cm x W 0.9cm x H 1.3cm Provenance: Ex major SM., London, Collection 1970-2010.