Indus Valley Stamp Seal Collection

Indus Valley Stamp Seal Collection
Late 3rd-2nd millennium BC
A mixed group of three bronze seals with openwork design, including one accompanied by a typed and signed note by the late W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Bronze compartmented Stamp Seal, 64 x 53 x 15mm. This has the shape of two conjoined ovals, with a V-shaped loop on the back. It is compartmented, but only some and not all of the compartments are open to the back. The design is composed of four intertwining snakes, whose heads meet in pairs at each end. Study of the compartmented face shows that each snake's head has a body which ends up in another snake's head at the opposite end, so leaving only two snakes with two heads each. however, the back is modelled and engraved with details of the heads and bodies and this confirms that the design has created unnatural snakes. This is a seal from west central Asia, c.2400-2000 B.C. It is a very interesting design creating a sophisticated pattern. The metal is in very good condition, though the back has some hard incrustation which could be removed, and is a little worn.'; the rest comprising: one roughly square with compartmented scorpion and struts connecting to the edge, inverted U-shape handle to the reverse; one roughly discoid with insect to the centre formed as an elliptical body with eight legs to each side, semi-circular-shaped break to the bottom edge, inverted U-shaped handle to the reverse. 122 grams total, 44-64mm (1 3/4-2 1/2"). Fine condition. [3]
Provenance
The Signo collection, the property of a West London businessman, formed in the late 1980s-early 1990s; collection numbers 42, N-12, T-158, academically researched and catalogued by the late Professor Lambert in the early 1990s.