Examine some of the important facts regarding the Mesopotamian seals.

The facts of the Mesopotamia seal:

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.

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.