Decorated Seals Kept Secrets
and Told Stories

This stone cylinder seal depicts a hero figure fighting a lion. People who lived in early Mesopotamia used seals like this one to help protect locked doors, letters, and containers of goods. Seals were also used to close clay "envelopes" around clay tablet letters and legal documents of the time. Specific marks on the seals identified the author of a written text or the property owner.

Most cylinder seals were made of stone. Others were fashioned of metal, bone, ivory, shell, or baked clay. A hole was made through the length of the stone so a pin or stick could be inserted to roll the seal. When the cylinder seal was rolled over soft clay or wax, the design or picture was imprinted onto the soft surface. When the clay or wax hardened, the picture remained. Some seals made of semiprecious stones were worn as ornaments and amulets for protection.

On these seals, artists carved tiny designs, scenes of important events, or pictures of mythological creatures. There are many seals with representations of kings and heroes, temples, gods and their worshippers, animals, and imaginary beings. The image of a man fighting a lion on this seal may refer to a scene from the story of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian epic. It tells of Gilgamesh and his adventures as he searched for the secret of everlasting life. 

You can see this cylinder seal in the ancient Near Eastern art galleries on the second level of the Ahmanson Building at LACMA.

Search Collections Online for other ancient Near Eastern works of art.

Welcome to Artwork of the Month! Visit this page every month to explore a new treasure from LACMA's extensive collections.

Artwork of the Month is intended for children but can also be a fun resource for students, teachers, and families who want to learn more about artworks in LACMA's permanent collection and special exhibitions.