Originally an offering at the shrine of a powerful deity, this votive seal was discovered withacacheofrelatedartifactsalongtheshoresof Lake Van.Thecultmostlikelycenteredaroundanature god, one concerned with fertility and rebirth. Birds wereclearly important to this cult, perhaps being associated with the ideaof the soul. This is an extremelyfineexampleofearlyanimalsculpture. Depicting a stylized bird, its base bears the intaglio image of a bird. Pressed into soft wax or clay, it would have created multiple images to please the deity. Abstract and elegant yet closely observant of nature, this remarkable seal evokes a vanished world at the dawn of Western culture. -(D.0055)Votive Bird Seal with an Intaglio - D.005Origin: Lake Van,Anatolia Circa: 4000 BC to 3000 BCDimensions: 2.125" (5.4cm) high x .625"(1.6cm) wide x 1" (2.5cm) depth Collection: Near Eastern Style: Neolithic
Medium: Dickite Condition: Repaired

Antiquities
Ancient Near East