Object Description
A striking and well-defined Achaemenid, hollow-formed, silver cylinder seal with a battle scene. The seal is composed of a royal figure, standing on the right, and an archer on the left, both flanking a kneeling soldier. The royal figure is richly dressed, wearing a long robe, with a pointed beard, marked by vertical lines, and his hair is drawn up, surmounted by a fillet, tied behind. He carries, on his back, an ornamented bow-case with three tassels dangling down and a curved bow within. With his right hand, he grasps the wrist of the kneeling enemy soldier, while his left hand drives down a spear into his shoulder. The kneeling opponent, forced down onto his right knee, holds an arrow in his left hand and a bow in his right. He is not as well dressed as the royal figure, wearing only a jacket or a short tunic, tied with a belt. His head, bearded, faces the right, turned to look behind him at the archer. Of all the figures, the kneeling soldier is the only one depicted frontally, with a profile head and legs, with all the other figures shown in profile. The archer, like the royal figure, carries a bow case on his back, though his is unadorned, within which a curved bow is contained. One arm grasps the right shoulder of the kneeling soldier, perhaps attempting to lift his fallen comrade, while the other hand is lifted up towards a winged sun disc above them. He, too, is bearded, wears a short tunic, tied at the waist, and long boots, defined by two parallel lines just below his slightly bent knees. Below the entire scene, two more fallen comrades, similarly dressed, lie on the ground, prostate, with their heads facing down. Behind the entire scene, a symmetrical palm tree, with eight fronds, bears two bunches of dates, one on either side of the cross-hatched trunk. The scene has been depicted stylistically with great care, with the folds of their drapery and the details of their facial features, hair, long noses, beards, and their fingers still clearly visible.
The seal is supplied with a museum-quality impression.
Date: Circa 5th Century BC