gods and animals.[98] The large specimen reproduced in outline on Pl.
VIII, 7, is the seal of Sety I of the Nineteenth Dynasty, and is one the
latest specimens of Royal cylinder-seal known.
[Illustration: Fig. 31. IMPRESSION FROM A CYLINDER-SEAL OF PEPŶ I. (In
Mr. Piers’ Collection.)]
[Sidenote: Official cylinder-seals.]
Official cylinder-seals are of two kinds. They either bear (_a_) the
name of the king together with the title of the office or official, but
not the personal name of the latter; or (_b_) simply the title of the
official without the name of the king. The Royal name appears once or
thrice on the seals of the first group, and, if repeated, the rest of
the inscription is placed between the names; the titles and name of the
king are almost always written in a direction contrary to that of the
other words, apparently as a mark of respect (see fig. 31). These
official cylinder-seals range in date from the First Dynasty to the time
of Pepŷ II of the Sixth Dynasty, when they became superseded by the
seals of the stamp form.
[Sidenote: Private cylinder-seals.]
[Illustration: Fig. 32.]
Cylinder-seals bearing the name and titles of officials are also known
(see fig. 32). These appear to have been used as the private seals of
the persons whose names are engraved upon them. They date from the
Twelfth Dynasty into the Twenty-Sixth but are very rare.
[Sidenote: III. Scroll patterns, etc.]
A very small class of cylinder-seal bears scroll patterns or geometrical
devices.[99] These appear for the first time during the intermediate
period between the end of the Sixth and the beginning of the Twelfth
Dynasty, when they are generally made of glazed pottery, and are very
coarsely executed. The specimens of a later time (probably Seventeenth
or early Eighteenth Dynasty) are of glazed steatite, and beautifully
cut.
[Illustration: Figs. 33 and 34.]
2. BUTTON-SHAPED AND HEMI-CYLINDER SEALS.
[Sidenote: Button-shaped seals.]
A small, but very distinctive class of seal, cut in the shape of a
button, with flat circular disc and loop at the back (see fig. 33), has
recently been found in Egypt, and closely akin to this class is another,
but much smaller one, the examples of which are cut in the form of a
hemi-cylinder (sometimes with projecting base), and pierced through
their length by a hole of [Sidenote: Hemi-cylinders.] sufficient size to
admit of a fine piece of string being inserted (see fig. 34). Some of
the button-shaped seals have ornamented backs: instead of the loop being
plain as in fig. 39, it is cut in such a way as to represent two hawks’
heads, or the fore-parts of two lions back to back. Occasionally we also
find specimens in the shape of a hippopotamus’ head (fig. 40).
[Illustration: Figs. 35 and 36.]
[Sidenote: How used and mounted.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account