3rd-2nd millennium BC. A group of nine cylinder seals and a loom weight, accompanied by a typed and signed note by the late W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham 1970-1993, which states: 'Loom Weight of Clay. This is two-sided, with a round centre, and the sides going off to blunt points. It is pierced not quite in the centre so that it could hang from a thread of the warp without turning. Each side has a pattern. on the one side it consists of four dots within circles. On the other side there are two groups of human-looking figures: one group of three, all seated, two facing the third; the second group of a seated female with legs apart and a second seated figure facing her. This comes from Syria/Anatolia and dates to c. 2500-1500 B.C. It is an interesting example of an object which has been little studied, and of which most examples have only pattern for design. Measurements: 34mm, side to side, 43mm. top to bottom.'; the rest comprising: one with lion attacking horse and standing figure holding arms forward; one with archer and winged mythical bird; one with wavy notched line with eagles to each bend; one with two stylised birds with human heads, stars in the field; one with concentric lozenges; four with geometric designs including chevrons and hatched bands. 88 grams total, 24-40mm (1 - 1 1/2"). The Signo collection, the property of a West London businessman, formed in the late 1980s-early 1990s; collection numbers 1511, 1514, 1713, 1804, 6802, B-68 (142), B-93 (159), B-96 (162), W-475, ZZ-1, academically researched and catalogued by the late Professor Lambert in the early 1990s. Dr. Bonewitz notes: 'The items are made from shell (2), limestone (2), composition (5), bone (1).' [10]
Condition
Fine condition.