Bidspirit auction | A NEAR EASTERN MITANNI FAIENCE
A NEAR EASTERN MITANNI FAIENCE CYLINDER SEAL WITH FIGURES AND CUNEIFORM - This Ancient Near Eastern cylinder seal is attributed to the Mitanni culture of the second millennium BCE, approximately 1500 to 1300 BCE. The item is produced from a weathered, light-coloured composite material, likely faience or glazed composition, and features a distinctive pale, encrusted patina across the surface. The exterior circumference is carved in intaglio with a scene consisting of two standing figures in profile. These figures flank a central vertical standard or stylized tree of life. The iconography reflects the Mitanni Common Style, utilizing simplified, stylized forms. Accompanying the figurative scene are vertical columns of cuneiform inscriptions. The artifact is cylindrical in form with a wide central bore. L: 1.4cm