Preview
Creation Date
2350–2200 BCE
Culture
Sumerian
Medium
Cast resin
Dimensions
1 7/16 in. (3.5 cm)
Credit Line
Purchased by the Department of Art History, for Summer Scholars research by Ellie Westfall (’27), 2025.
Accession Number
2025.106.8
Provenance
Purchased by Ellie Westfall from Ancient Replicas on July 12, 2025. Ancient Replicas is an Etsy storefront based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania run by Dr. Stephen Meyers, the president of The Institute for Biblical and Scientific Studies.
Description
Cylinder seal replica from Eshnunna, an ancient Sumerian and later Akkadian city, from around 2350–2200 BCE. The description from the package says “This seal represents the nightly travel of the sun god Shamash/Utu in the subterranean waters, believing that the sun passes through the netherworld during the night. The passenger with rays coming from his shoulders is the sun god, seated inside a boat with human-shaped prow, a minor deity. The ship is depicted with the characteristics of the time, being clearly made of reeds, as the black Magan boats.
Keywords
Department of Art History Collection, Ancient Near East, Before 600 BCE, Cylinder Seal