A rectangular seal made of slate, dating to the Ubaid or Uruk period. The seal is incised all around the edges and across the base with a geometric design, forming small squares and rectangles. In the very centre of the base are some linear markings which could represent an abstract figure. On the reverse of the piece is a trapezoidal knob with a perforation, allowing for the seal to be gripped, and strung for wear. The piece has been repaired and displays cracks across the body. One of the corners is chipped. 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 1.9cm x 2.2cm x 1.9cm Provenance: From Ex. Cotswold collection, 1980. A large part of the collection was sold by a Cirencester Auction in November 2018.