Cylinder seal depicting a scene of worship,

ca. 1800 – 1600 BCE

These engraved stones, known as cylinder seals, were first used in Mesopotamia and served various functions, whether as a signature to indicate ownership, as personal adornment, or as a protective amulet. The seals are pierced through the center, enabling their owners to loop a string or metal band through them and wear them on their bodies, ensuring either that the stones were always available to impress into clay or wax as a signature, or that their amuletic protection remained with the owner wherever they went. In addition to depicting gods and mythical creatures, many of the seals contain inscribed prayers that could be spoken aloud whenever they were needed, activating through sound the protection and benevolence of the gods depicted upon them.