Originally an offering at the shrine of a powerful deity, this votive seal was discovered with a cache of relatedartifactsalong the shores of Lake Van. The cult mostlikelycenteredaroundanature god, one concerned with fertility and rebirth. Birds wereclearly important to this cult, perhaps being associated with the ideaof the soul. This is an extremelyfineexampleofearlyanimalsculpture. Depicting a stylized bird, its base bears the intaglio image of a bird. Pressed into soft wax or clay, it would have created multiple images to please the deity. Abstract and elegant yet closely observant of nature, this remarkable seal evokes a vanishedworldatthedawnof Westernculture.-(D.00110)Votive Bird Sealwithan Intaglio-D.0110rigin:Lake Van,Anatolia Circa: 4000 BC to 3000 BCDimensions: 2.125" (5.4cm) highx.625(1.6cm)widex1(2.5cm)depth Collection:Near Eastern Style:Neolithic Medium:Dickit E

Antiquities
Ancient Near East