A finely rendered Sasanian stamp seal formed from a deep orange carnelian. The seal is circular in shape with a smooth domed back. The flat face of the seal has been carved with the depiction of a crouching quadruped, perhaps a lioness or a mythical creature. The animal is depicted in a naturalistic manner with legs folded neatly beneath the body and carefully incised paws. The facial features, ears and mane are delicately rendered and a long tail swoops from the rear. The seal is perforated horizontally for suspension. There is another perforation or a hole in the middle of the carved image that connects to the perforation channel. There are chips to the edge of the seal particularly to the right of the animal. Seals were often made of stone however there are also examples rendered in bone, ivory, faience, glass, metal, wood, and even sun-dried or baked clay. In the ancient world, seals guaranteed the authenticity of marked ownership – as such, they were instrumental in legal transactions, and in the protection of goods against theft. Seal amulets with stylised animals have been found throughout Mesopotamia in contexts dating to the late fourth millennium BC, although stamp seals and cylinder seals were the predominant types in the ancient Near East. Measurements: L 1.5cm x W 1.6cm x H 1cm Provenance: Ex major SM., London, Collection 1970-2010.