__NOTOC__ The stamp seal (also impression seal) is a common seal die, frequently carved from stone, known at least since the

6th millennium BC The 6th millennium BC spanned the years 6000 BC to 5001 BC (c. 8 ka to c. 7 ka). It is impossible to precisely date events that happened around the time of this millennium and all dates mentioned here are estimates mostly based on geo ...

(

Halaf culture The Halaf culture is a prehistoric period which lasted between about 6100 BC and 5100 BC. The period is a continuous development out of the earlier Pottery Neolithic and is located primarily in the fertile valley of the Khabur (Euphrates), Khabu ...

) and probably earlier. The dies were used to impress their picture or inscription into soft, prepared clay and sometimes in

sealing wax Sealing wax is a wax material of a seal (emblem), seal which, after melting, hardens quickly (to paper, parchment, ribbons and wire, and other material), forming a bond that is difficult to break without noticeable tampering. Wax is used to verify ...

. The oldest stamp seals were button-shaped objects with primitive ornamental forms chiseled onto them. The stamp seals were replaced in the

4th millennium BC File:4th millennium BC montage.jpg, 400x400px, From top left clockwise: The Temple of Ġgantija, one of the oldest freestanding structures in the world; Warka Vase; Bronocice pot with one of the earliest known depictions of a wheeled vehicle; Kish ...

by cylinder seals that had to be rolled over the soft clay to leave an imprint. From the 12th century BC the previous designs were largely abandoned in favor of amphora stamps. Romans introduced their '' signaculum'' around the first century BC;

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

maintained the tradition in their commercial stamps. In antiquity the stamp seals were common, largely because they served to authenticate legal documents, such as tax receipts, contracts, wills and decrees.

Indus stamp-seal

The Indus stamp-seals probably had a different function from the stamp seals of the Minoan civilization, as they typically have script characters, with still undeciphered associations.

Gallery

File:WLA brooklynmuseum Stamp Seal of Meru-the Answerer of Horus.jpg, Stamp seal of an Egyptian named:
Meru-the Answerer of

Horus Horus (), also known as Heru, Har, Her, or Hor () in Egyptian language, Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as the god of kingship, healing, protection, the sun, and t ...

(

Brooklyn Museum The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn. At , the museum is New York City's second largest and contains an art collection with around 500,000 objects. Located near the Prospect Heig ...

) File:Cylinder seals and stamps REM.JPG, Stamp seals (bottom row), cylinder seals (top row) File:Signaculum PRIMIT (Louvre, Br 4035).jpg, Signaculum PRIMIT ("first") File:Medieval impression seal matrix (impression) (FindID 497093).jpg, An impression of a cast copper-alloy seal matrix of medieval date (14th century AD)

References

Sources

* Garbini. ''Landmarks of the World's Art, The Ancient World,'' by Giovanni Garbini, (McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, Toronto), General Eds, Bernard S. Myers, New York, Trewin Copplestone, London, c 1966. Numerous examples of the Cylinder seal; ( 3 ) separate Discussions (only) of "Stamp sealing". No seals, or impressions thereof. * * * *

External links

Detail of Stamp seal-Medium Res

mcclungmuseum.utk.edu—''Jar, and associated Stamp Seal''

– at the Oriental Institute of Chicago. {{Authority control Seals (insignia)

Indus stamp-seal

Gallery

See also

References

Sources

External links