Cylinder Seal with Two Beer-Drinkers
Alabaster
Khafajah
2.1 cm x 1.4 cm diam.
A11464
Oriental Institute Museum
Cylinder Seal with Two Beer-Drinkers
This cylinder seal was made from a piece of alabaster. It would have been rolled onto clay to produce a unique impression, or "signature," that was used either to indicate ownership or to safeguard personal possessions. This seal depicts a man and a woman seated, possibly drinking beer through straws from a pot on a stand. The figures are separated by a large scorpion.
Collected by
Henri Frankfort, Field Director of the Iraq Expedition
Excavated by The Oriental Institute 1932-1933
Multimedia
Cylinder Seals
What are cylinder seals and how were they used by the ancient Mesopotamians?
Life in Ancient Mesopotamia
What was life like in ancient Mesopotamia? Find out in this video featuring Oriental Institute Assyriologist Dr. Martha Roth.
Suggested Readings
Hunter, Erica. First Civilizations: Cultural Atlas for Young People. New York: Facts on File, 1994.
Kramer, Samuel Noah. Cradle of Civilization. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1967.
Roaf, Michael. Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. New York: Facts on File, 1990.