The Seal– An Urban Artefact

In India, early stone seals were stamped. In Mesopotamia until the end of the first millennium BCE, cylindrical stone seal, pierced down the centre, were fitted witha stick and rolled over wet clay so that a continuous picture was created. They were carved by very skilled craftsmen, and sometimes carry writing: the name of the owner, his god, his official position, etc. A seal could be rolled on clay covering the string knot of a cloth package or the mouth of the pot, keeping the contents safe. When rolled on a letter written on a clay tablet, it became a mark of authenticity. So seal was the mark of a city dweller’s role in public life.