Examine some of the important facts regarding the Mesopotamian seals.
1. In Mesopotamia until the end of the first millennium BCE, cylindrical stone seals, pierced down the centre, were fitted with a stick and rolled over wet clay so that a continuous picture was created.

Fig : Five early cylinder seals and their impressions.
2. They were carved by very skilled craftsmen, and sometimes carry writing : the name of the owner, his god, his official position, etc.
3. A seal could be rolled on clay covering the the string knot of a cloth package or the mouth of a pot keeping the contents safe. When rolled on a letter written on a clay tablet, it became a mark of authenticity. So the seal was the mark of a city dweller's role in public life.
Tips: -
(Imp.)