Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Worshiper before flaming altar and goddess

between 704 B.C. and 691 B.C.
brownish chalcedony ;
Morgan Seal 701
Description
1 cylinder seal : brownish chalcedony ; 20 x 8.5 cm.
Provenance
Acquired by Pierpont Morgan sometime between 1885 and 1908.
Notes
"Seals 696-698 are probably somewhat later in date, since their execution is more cursory. This is especially obvious in the rendering of the stars, which are merely indicated by globes. The same rendering can be observed in 699-701, which, however, vary from the previously described stones in presenting a deity, probably a goddess, seated before a table decked with a repast. The back of the chair in which the figure sits is decorated with stars, indicated by globes in the same manner as on the chair of a goddess in the rock relief at Maltai, which dates from the time of Sennacherib (704-691 B.C.). Seals 699-701 may therefore be assigned to approximately the same period."--Porada, CANES, p. 84
Summary
Worshiper before flaming altar placed beside table wth cloth and pile of loaves, at which goddess is seated -- Seven globes in sky.
Classification
Place
Southern Mesopotamia.
Department