A very fine Neo-Assyrian cylinder seal produced from a red hardstone, displaying a religious scene. The seal features two figure, likely a worshippers, standing and pointing with a raised hand towards a sacred tree below the winged disk of Assur. Both worshippers are bearded, and wear a headdress as well as long robes. The figure on the right raises his hand and with the other, he holds a star-tippped sceptre. Behind him, there is a tasseled spade, a symbol of the god Marduk, on a platform. Between the back of the worshipper and the tasseled spade, a sun has been place above. Before the worshipper, in the upper register, small dots further enrich the seal, possibly representations of the Pleiades. The seal has been pierced longitudinally for suspension. Encrustation and signs of wear to the surface, such as minor chipping and scratches, to the surface. 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: (circ) H 3.2cm x W 1.4cm Provenance: Ex West Country, UK, collection, 1990s.