Seal ring: bird above a horned animal

Unknown

ca. 10th–8th century BCE · Bronze · Ancient Near Eastern Art

This is a bronze ring with an intaglio image carved on it. The image shows a seated bird above a horned creature with its head lowered, perhaps grazing. Possibly the image is meant to represent a bird of prey attacking a goat. The image was probably added after the ring was cast. This ring was excavated at Surkh Dum, a settlement site in Luristan in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran. It was found in a structure interpreted as a sanctuary and was thus probably an offering to a god. In all likelihood the ring was used a seal before being deposited in the sanctuary.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 10th–8th century BCE

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Iran

Department

Ancient Near Eastern Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1943