Worshiper flanking lotus blossom

between 800 and 700 B.C.
bluish chalcedony
27.5 x 19.5 x 15.5 mm
Morgan Seal 794
Provenance: 
Acquired by Pierpont Morgan sometime between 1885 and 1908.
Notes: 

"The stamp seals... that can be related to Neo-Assyrian cylinders (789-794) have been grouped as Neo-Assyrian, even though it is possible that some of them were not made in Assyria... Seals 793 and 794, both executed with careful modeling, can be related to modeled-style cylinders.... Sal 794 shows gods on the winged sun disk as in 772. The lotus replacing the tree below the sun disk in 794 occurs in Assyrian seals of the end of the eighth century, as evidenced by a cylinder of that time. The worshipers in 794 wear the typically Assyrian fringed mantle seen in 691-696, It seems likely therefore that this seal is Assyrian rather than Babylonian, though the worshipers are making the Babylonian gesture of worship, with only one hand raised, instead of gesturing with both hands as is usual in Assyrian representations."--Porada, CANES, p. 96-97
Conical seal with rounded top and slightly convex oval base.

Summary: 

Two worshipers, one at either side of lotus blossom -- In sky, winged sun disk with god in center and head of deity above each wing -- In field: crescent above cross-shaped object topped by globe; star above rhomb.

Classification: 
Department: