Cylinder seals are popular throughout ancient Mesopotamia and related lands. Sometimes called roller stamps, they're tiny, usually around 1" (2.54 cm) - 2" (5.1 cm) but have a lot to say.
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Cylinder seals are popular in the ancient world and earlier. The Adda Cylinder Seal of c. 2300 BCE features deities, divine symbols and inscriptions. Rolled over clay, the cylinder seal creates a convex or relief artwork.
Cylinder seals are first known to be used c. 3500 in the Sumerian city of Uruk. It's thought their use goes back further, to the Late Neolithic period (7600 - 6000 BCE) in Syria, many centuries before the invention of writing.
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Actual Size:
Diameter: Diameter: 1 in (2.54 cm)
Height: Height: 1.5 inches (3.9 cm)
Although it's a rock, thus heavy, greenstone is a hot trade item in the ancient and prehistoric world. There's not one specific greenstone. The term applies to valuable minerals in hues of green. These include igneous rocks which have undergone metamorphosis.
Steatite (soapstone) is excellent for carving in its green or other color manifestations. Soapstone comes from the metamorphic action of rocks like serpentine, above.
Greenstone includes greenschist, chlorastrolite, serpentine, omphacite, chrysoprase, olivine, nephrite, chloromelanite and other green-hued minerals. The term greenstone can also apply to jade and jadeite.
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The colors of greenstone rocks are due to such minerals as chlorite, hornblende and epidote. Objects and artifacts of greenstone can be found a great distance from the source of the rock, implying the popularity of the stone on early networks of trade.
A polished jadeite axe head (c. 4000 - 2000 BCE), found in Canterbury, England, is made of stone from the North Italian Alps. It's only one example. Greenstone objects from various parts of the world travel considerable distances to their place of discovery.
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Ancient China and Mesoamerica have particular prominence in the adoration of greenstone. The mystic rock also appears often in indigenous cultures of southeast Australia and among the Māori of New Zealand. They call greenstone pounamu.
Neolithic Europe uses greenstone, especially for ritual or decorative ax heads and tools. Similar jade weapons and tools show up in the Olmec and Pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica.
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China is famous for use of jade. The first Chinese Emperor dies horribly when he drinks mercury mixed with jade, thinking it an immortality potion. In terms of color, most Chinese jade is creamy white. Rich green Myanmar (Burma) jade occurs to the south.
Adda Greenstone cylinder seal impression from left to right:
The far left is a partial duplication of two-faced deity Isimud, the sukkal or divine attendant of Enki. First full figure is the right-facing roaring lion. Lion is a symbol of a divine being such as Inanna, or a king. Lions and eagles reign as symbols or personifications of power.
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The inscription reads "Adda, scribe", identifying the seal's owner. Standing full face is a hunting god, possibly Ninurta, holding a bow. Ninurta (Ninĝirsu) is the ancient Mesopotamian god of farming, healing, hunting, law, scribes and war.
On the left side mountain are a small tree and Goddess Ishtar (Inanna, Shaushka), goddess of love and war. She stands full faced, winged and armed with weapons including an axe and mace. She holds an apparent bunch of dates above the Sun God's head.
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Between the mountains the sun-god Shamash (Utu) emerges with his solar rays. He holds a serrated blade. The water god Enki (Ea) stands to the right, with one foot on the right hand mountain.
Enki stretches his right hand towards an eagle, which may be the nefarious Zu bird Anzû, who steals the tablets of destiny. A bull couchant lies between his legs. Streams of water and fish flow from his shoulders.
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Behind Enki is his two-faced sukkal or divine attendant Isimud (Usimu) with right hand raised. All participants bear the multi-horned helmets or headgear of gods. The men have beards. Isimud has a double beard. He wears a flounced skirt.
Enki and Ishtar both wear flounced robes. The other complete figure wears a striped skirt This god wears his hair in a long curl down the left side, reminiscent of those worn by bull-men.
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Ishtar has two similar curls hanging down, one on either side. Enki and Shamash wear their hair in the triple bun style. The scales of the mountain are continued in a horizontal band all round the lower part of the seal.
The figures of the divinities stand upon the decorative band. An inscription of two lines is placed in a frame. The cylinder seal itself is has slight concavity or inward curve.
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Named after its owner, the Adda seal was discovered in Sippar, today's south Iraq. The seal is created in c. 2300 BCE. The song above, called the Hymn to Nungal, is also written by a scribe. He's overjoyed at escaping a death sentence.
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