Description:

Western Asia, modern day Iran, Proto-Elamite (Susa III), ca. 3000 BCE. A very rare, fascinating stone seal stamp, with a low, pierced handle on its back to enable its user to easily carry and wear it. The smooth, orange-red stone has a square face deeply incised with a collection of diagonal and straight intersecting lines, and four shallow drilled depressions, dividing the face into triangular quadrants. Size: 1.1" W (2.8 cm)

From the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative at the University of Oxford: "Proto-Elamite is the last un-deciphered writing system from the Ancient Near East with a substantial number of sources (more than 1600 published texts). It was used for a relatively short period around 3000 BC across what is today Iran. Proto-Elamite is a derived writing system originating from the Uruk invention of writing in southern Mesopotamia during the middle of the 4th millennium BC. Scribes in Susa in southwestern Iran took over a majority of the numerical signs as well as many of the numerical systems from the older proto-cuneiform system."

Provenance: private Raleigh, North Carolina, USA collection, by descent from father, who was given it by a museum curator in London, UK, in the 1950s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#156257

  • Condition: Light wear commensurate with age but overall in very fine condition. Motifs are well preserved.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

July 1, 2020 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000