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Seals and sealings (i.e., glyptics)

Marco De Pietri – 2018-present

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1. Bibliography on Urkesh/E-Library

This list displays in alphabetical order the authors of the contributions mentioned in the following list (each number links to a singular contribution).

For further information about seals/sealings (i.e., glyptics) at Urkesh, see the dedicated topical book “GLYPTICS” (cf. also “Overview” and “Typology/Seal legends”).

For a punctual query, cf. pages “Keywords” and “SEARCH/Topics”.

Back to top: Seals and sealings (i.e., glyptics)

Alphabetical List

Abbati, Valeria (degli):1; 2;

Buccellati, Giorgio: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12

Kelly-Buccellati, Marilyn: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19

McCarthy, Andrew: 1

Nadali, Davide: 1

Otto, Adelheid: 1

Sedláček, Tibor: 1
Stein, Diana L.: 1
Suter, Claudia E.: 1

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Bibliographical entries

The following entries are displayed in chronological order; you can easily find above the publications listed in alphabetical order.

G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
1994
 “Mozan: Tales from a Hurrian (?) Storehouse,”
Backdirt, Spring, pp. 1,4-5,98.
See full text
See abstract
Sealings from Urkesh are here presented, stressing their importance as the northernmost evidence of cuneiform writing for the third millennium BC; a large storehouse exposed in sector B is then widely described as a possible 'house of the seal(s)'.
[mDP – November 2019]


G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
1995
 “The Identification of Urkesh with Tell Mozan (Syria),”
Orient-Express 1995/3, cover page and pp. 67-70.
See full text
See abstract
The authors explain in this contribution why they decided to concentrate their efforts on Tell Mozan; moreover, the 'vault' in sector B of the Palace is described, together with its sealings and written materials; the existence and peculiarity of a 'Hurrian art' is then discussed.
[mDP – November 2019]


G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
1995-1996
 “The Royal Storehouse of Urkesh: The Glyptic Evidence from the Southwestern Wing,”
Archiv für Orientforschung 42-43, pp. 1-32.
See full text
See abstract
Glyptic material (more than 600 seal impressions dating to the mid to late Akkadian period) from the Royal Storehouse (building AK) of Urkesh is here presented, analysing its peculiar features towards the determination of a specific 'Hurrian artistic tradition', further investigating the function of the seals and the storing practices at Urkesh.
[mDP – November 2019]


G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
1996
 “The Seals of the King of Urkesh: Evidence from the Western Wing of the Royal Storehouse AK,”
Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Moregenlandes 86, pp. 65-100, pls. 1-7.
See full text
See abstract
Sealings of kings of Urkesh (mostly Tish-atal and Tupkish), are here introduced, underling the peculiarity of the title endan; later on, seals and sealings of queens and queen's household are also presented, offering for all of them a valuable palaeographical and iconographical analysis.
[mDP – November 2019]


M. Kelly-Buccellati
1996
 “Nuzi Viewed from Urkesh, Urkesh Viewed from Nuzi: Stock Elements and Framing Devices in Northern Syro-Mesopotamia,”
Studies on the Civilization and Culture of Nuzi and the Hurrians 8, pp. 247-268.
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See abstract
The papers discusses Urkesh's glyptic material in comparison with other specimens coming from the later seals and sealings from Nuzi; the final section of the contribution is instead devoted to the question of Hurrian ethnicity of Urkesh's inhabitants, stressing how “attempting to attribute art, or indeed any aspect of material culture, to a specific ethnic group needs to be approached with a great deal of caution and with theoretical awareness” (p. 266).
[mDP – November 2019]


M. Kelly-Buccellati
1996
 “Seals in Ancient Mesopotamia and Seals of God in Revelation,”
Rivista della Facoltà di Teologia di Lugano 1, pp. 79-100.
See full text
See abstract
In this paper, the author presents specimens of seals from the fourth, the third and the second millennium BC, discussing their original function and purposes, mostly to guarantee the identity of a person within letters of legal transactions.
[mDP – November 2019]


G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
1997
 “Urkesh. The First Hurrian Capital,”
Biblical Archaeologist 60, pp. 77-96.
See full text
See abstract
Mythological textual sources are here investigated to define the ethnicity of Urkesh's people, directly reconnecting the myth to a possible actual role played by the city in the trading of metals from the Taurus; moreover, sealings from Tell Mozan (over 1000 items) are presented, strengthening the development of a specific and coherent dynastic program. Two appendices describes some terracotta figurines and a small fragment of a school lexical tablet.
[mDP – November 2019]


G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
1998
 “The Courtiers of the Queen of Urkesh: Glyptic Evidence from the Western Wing of the Royal Storehouse AK,”
Subartu 4/2, pp. 195-216.
See full text
See abstract
Sealing belonging to Urkesh's king (Tupkish), to queen (Uqnitum), and to theirs courtiers are here described, representing a total amount of 164 rollings of 17 singular seals; these sealings presents a specific typology and style, here analyzed in detail.
[mDP – November 2019]


M. Kelly-Buccellati
1998
 “The Workshops of Urkesh,”
in Giorgio Buccellati and Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati (eds.), Urkesh and the Hurrians, Urkesh/Mozan Studies 3, Bibliotheca Mesopotamica 26, Malibu: Undena Publications, pp. 35-50.
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See abstract
This contribution is devoted to the analysis and of glyptic and stone materials from Urkesh, trying to define how, where and to what purpose they have been realized; a peculiar focus is given to Tell Mozan's workshops: “It is difficult to determine how many seal carvers would have been working for the Urkesh dynasts and their courtiers. [...] The artistic climate within some Urkesh workshops stimulated innovating thinking on the part of both artists and patrons. [...] The detail to which the artists went to convey the dynastic message is also impressive and must reflect the very real concerns of the patrons. [...] Evidence for this type of creativity and intense collaboration is otherwise rare in the ancient Near East” (pp. 49-50).
[mDP]


G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
1999
 “Das archäologische Projekt Tall Mozan/Urkeš,”
Mitteilungen der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft zu Berlin 131, pp. 7-16.
See full text
See abstract
An overview on the archaeological mission at Tell Mozan/Urkesh: mythological texts, glyptic material, and other various artefacts arise the question about the Hurrian ethnicity of the city; Urkesh was evidently regarded as a 'mythological town', since some myths recognize the city as the home of the god Kumarbi; in the second part of the paper the main structures brought to light at Urkesh (together with some major finds) are presented.
[mDP – November 2019]


G. Buccellati
2000
 “La figlia di Naram-Sin,”
Urkesh Folio, 1 (2000), 6 plates.
See full text
Italian version
See abstract
The sealings from Urkesh belonging to the daugther of Naram-Sin, Tar’am-Agade are the topic of the present contribution. Their discovery places Urkesh a one of the most important city of the second-half of the third millennium BC, when the royal family of Urkesh strenghted his power by means of a dynastic and wedding alliance with the Akkadian Empire.
[mDP – November 2019]


G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
2000
 “The Royal Palace of Urkesh. Report on the 12th Season at Tell Mozan/Urkesh: Excavations in Area AA, June-October 1999,”
Mitteilungen der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft zu Berlin 132, pp. 133-183.
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See abstract
Area AA (the Royal Palace) at Urkesh has been further investigated in the 12th season, in 1999; the results of this archaeological campaign are reported herewith: the finding on sealings of the name of Tar’am-Agade (Naram-Sin's daughter); the investigations in Area C2 with the discovery of a sealings cache; the interpretation of an iwan structure as a possible scribal installation; the description of some structures on the exterior of the palace; the excavation in the residential quarters of the time of the 'Bitumen Use Ceramic Tradition'; a clay statuette of a female figure is introduced; a paragraph is devoted to the description of the main ceramic typologies; eventually, computer network and digital photography, together with conservation strategies are presented.
[mDP – November 2019]


G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
2001
 “City of Myth: In Search of Hurrian Urkesh,”
Archaeology Odyssey May/June, pp. 16-27.
See full text
See abstract
The mythological background (the Cycle of Kumarbi) of Hurrian myths related to Urkesh is firstly discussed in this contribution; the authors then report their own works on the site, started in 1984: the main structures and the major finds are presented; a discussion about the function and the actual use of sealings is then offered, underlining the local production of the seals and their typical and characteristic style; two side-boxes offer insights on Hurrian at Nuzi and on the methodological approach applied in the identification of Urkesh with Tell Mozan.
[mDP – November 2019]


G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
2001
 “The Royal Palace at Urkesh and the Daughter of Naram-Sin,”
Les annales archéologiques arabes syriennes: revue d'archéologie et d'histoire [Damascus: Ministère de la Culture, Direction Générale des Antiqués et des Musées] 44, pp. 63-69.
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See abstract
This paper presents sealings with the names of Tar’am-Agade (daughter of Naram-Sin), of Ewrim-Atal, and of Ishar-beli; moreover, the ceramic of the third millennium is briefly presented, the seriation of sherds suggesting a considerable degree of continuity within the third millennium BC; afterwards, the authors offer a description of some other main structures: a large royal building, the Storeroom AK, a large courtyard, the 'formal' wing of the Palace, a platform and an apsidal structure, and sector C (within the service wing of building AK) interpreted as a scribal place.
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width="70" valign="top" style="{text-align: left}"> D.L. Stein
2001r="#800000">
 “Nuzi Glyptic: The Eastern Connection,”nd Archaeology in Honour of Frances Pinnock
in William W. Hallo and Irene J. Winter (eds.), Seals and Seal Impressions: Proceedings of the XLVe Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale"> (Part II),
Yale University, Bethesda (MD.): CDL, pp. 149-183.
See full text [Academia.edu]lso valuable data about working activities at the site. After a description of the main features of Urkesh's glyptics, the author presents sealings related to common people and describes craft production at Urkesh. The conclusions stress the importance of such an evidence in reconstructing ancient (palatial or not) crafting and service activitie at Urkesh, remarking the peculiar realism ed expressionism of these representations.

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While the connection of Nuzi glyptic with the Zagros is the primary focus of the article, the author deals with the question of Hurrian identity and Hurrian style, and refers to Urkesh on pp. 150-152.
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tyle="{text-align: left}"> G. Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati
2002r="#800000">
 “Tar’am-Agade, Daughter of Naram-Sin, at Urkesh,”
in L. al-Gailani Werr, J. Curtis, H. Martin, A. McMahon, J. Oates and J. Reade (eds.), Of Pots and Plans. Papers on the Archaeology and History of Mesopotamia and Syria presented to David Oates in Honor of his 75th Birthday, London: Nabu Publications, pp. 11-31.
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See abstract
This paper presents five sealings found in 1999 campaign in area AA, sector H2 in a cache, a dumping ground of door sealings: they belong to Tar’am-Agade, to an unnamed king (endan) of Urkesh, to Ewrim-atal, to Ishar-beli, and to a person named Unap-[...]; the last paragraph investigates the role of seal entitlement and use, underlining how Urkesh glyptic provides us with a wealth of typological information and with an insight on sealing practices at Tell Mozan.
[mDP – November 2019]

M. Kelly-Buccellati
2005
 “Urkesh and the North: Recent Discoveries,”
Studies on the Civilization and Culture of the Nuzi and the Hurrians 15, General Studies and Excavations at Nuzi 11/1, pp. 3-28.
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This paper investigates the connection of Urkesh with Southern Mesopotamia and with the ETC in the North, in the light of archaeological evidences, mostly the glyptic material. Comparisons with other Anatolian and Mesopotamian seals and sealings strengthens the idea of such a connection.
[mDP – November 2019]

M. Kelly-Buccellati
2006
 “Gilgamesh at Urkesh? Literary Motifs and Iconographic Identification,”
in P. Butterlin et al. (eds.), Les espaces syro-mésopotamiens: dimensions de l'experience humaine au proche-orient ancien : volume d'hommage offert à Jean-Claude Margueron, Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 403-414.
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See abstract
This contribution analyses in detail the possibility of a cultural presence of the epos of Gilgamesh at Urkesh, as attested by literary and iconographic motifs. Many glyptic or stone depictions form a pattern or a cluster of evidence clearly hinting to the epos of Gilgamesh. The author presents two important inferences: 1) “A significant thematic development that we know from the Old Babylonian Gilgamesh story would already have been so popular in the late third millennium as to have become the subject of a figurative representation and not in this case on cylinder seals but on a stone plaque” 2) “Arguments have been presented elsewhere for the specific ethnic nature of Urkesh as a Hurrian city. Since it seems likely that our plaque was carved in Urkesh, the presence of a Gilgamesh motif in this city attests to the third millennium Hurrian familiarity with these tales and their participation in the proliferation of these pan-Syro-Mesopotamian stories” (pp. 410-412).
[mDP – November 2019]

C.E. Suter
2008
 “Who are the Women in Mesopotamian Art from ca. 2334-1763 BCE?,”
Kaskal 5, pp. 1-55.
See full text
     The paper investigates the role of women in ancient Mesopotamia analyzing different artistic and visual representations, mostly sculpture and glyptic (paragraph 1). The second paragraph discusses about the distinction between high priestesses and other women, while paragraph 3 presents statuettes of court women. Paragraph 4 offers a brief overview on court women on dedicatory reliefs, while paragraph 5 talks about the identification of human figures on seal images. Paragraph 6 is devoted to 'textually identified royal women', and paragraph 7 analyzes the figures of women in banquets. Paragraph 8 presents scenes where women are presented as libating, while paragraph 9 describes the figures of women before a deity (presentation scenes). Paragraphs 10-11 present figures of women before a superior woman or before a king, respectively. Paragraph 12 sketches the conclusions: “Royal women were represented in public in the form of statuettes set up in temples and they were depicted on public monuments, such as a stela. On seal images that circulated within state administration, they participate in state ceremonies or cult festivals alongside the king, are received in audience by a deified king, receive themselves subordinates in audience and direct women's cult festivals. Non-royal women [...] are received in audience by a royal superior, participate in women's cult festivals and pay homage to goddesses” (p. 26).
     Urkesh/Tell Mozan in mentioned on pp. 13-14 (about Tar’am-Agade and Uqnitum), and fig. 34 (=S 35 in the author's catalogue listed on pp. 27-42) displays a sealing of queen Uqnitum [seal q2] (after Buccellati and Kelly Buccellati 1996, fig. 4b).
[mDP – March 2020]

V. degli Abbati
2009-2010
 “Le scene di lotta come emblemi di potere nella dinastia di Akkad alla nascita del 'Primo impero universale',”
M.G. Biga, J.Ma Córdoba, C. del Cerro and E. Torres (eds.), Homenaje a Mario Liverani, fundador de una ciencia nueva (I) / Omaggio a Mario Liverani, fondatore di una nuova scienza (I),
ISIMU 11-12, pp. 159-176.
See full text
“The transition between Early Dynastic and Akkadian Periods brought deep changes to the Ancient Near Eastern culture and politics. The expansion of the boundaries and the complexity of relations with neighboring populations involved a new kind of kinship, centered on a warrior, valorous and almost heroic king. Epic cycles started, telling about the extraordinary deeds of Akkadian kings, described almost exclusively as invincible warriors. The repercussions of this change are evident even in the material production, specifically in the cylinder seals. Indeed most of these decorations have contest scenes with men, gods, mythical beings and animals. This kind of iconography starts in Early Dynastic Period and is completely reworked in Akkadian Period, both technologically and stylistically, becoming some kind of dynastic emblem in which the new features are imposed in the artistic panorama of the countries subjected to the power of Akkad” [adapted from author's abstract].
[mDP – December 2019]

M. Kelly-Buccellati
2010
 “Uqnitum and Tar’am-Agade, Patronage and Portraiture at Urkesh,”
in J.C. Fincke (ed.), Festschrift für Gernot Wilhelm, Dresden: ISLET, pp. 185-202.
See full text
See abstract
The discoveries of sealings belonging to Uqnitum and to Tar’am-Agade allows us to speculate about concepts of 'patronage' and 'portraiture' at Urkesh. The author proposes the idea of a 'visual communication' displayed through glyptic materials, comparing the iconography of the seals of these two eminent women; she also stresses how messages related to a dynastic program aimed to encourage the power of the royal couple and the legitimate succession of their children, as openly communicated via specific iconographic features and gestures.
[mDP – November 2019]

V. degli Abbati
2011
 “Riflessioni storiche su un sigillo di epoca akkadica,”
La parola del passato. Rivista di studi antichi 378, pp. 188-193.
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See abstract
The papers investigates the identity and the historical importance of Tar’am-Agade (daughter of Naram-Sin, king of Akkad), according to data retrieved on a sealing from Urkesh (AOD 42). Furthermore, the author discusses the peculiar use at Urkesh of the title endan to qualify the local king.
[mDP – October 2019]

A. McCarthy
2012
 “The End of Empire: Akkadian and post-Akkadian glyptic in the Jezirah, the evidence from Tell Leilan in context,”
in Weiss, Harvey (ed.) 2012, Seven Generations since the Fall of Akkad,
Studia Chaburensia 3,
Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, pp. 217-224.
See full text
Alternative online version
See abstract (with excerpts)
     “This paper will outline the glyptic evidence from Tell Leilan and demonstrate how it corresponds to general and specific trends within the Khabur region towards the end of the 3rd millennium BC. The evidence from Tell Leilan, along with contemporary sites in the region, clearly shows an indigenous northern Mesopotamian glyptic style in the mid-3rd millennium Leilan IIId/Early Jezirah 3 (EJZ 3) period, beginning at 2600 BC [...]. The development of this glyptic style accompanies the emergence of cities and a complex administrative system that shares some uniform characteristics as a region, indicative of a regionally interdependent economy developing from its roots in the late Ninevite 5/Leilan IIId period [...]. At the same time, there is evidence of glyptic importation and blending of styles that shows extensive and sophisticated linkages with other regions” (Author's introduction on p. 217).
     [Urkesh/Tell Mozan is specifically mentioned several times, mostly as a comparison for glyptic material (see excerpts in the Abstract)].
[mDP – August 2022]

A. Otto
2013
 “Königssiegel als Programm – Überlegungen zum Selbstverständnis altorientalischer Herrscher und zur Deutung der Tierkampfszene,”
Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie 103/1, pp. 45-68.
See full text
Alternative version (De Gruyter)
     “Seals were ideal media for the dissemination of pictorial ideas. The motifs on royal seals allow insights into the self-image of the ancient oriental rulers. For this purpose, all the 109 known seals of Mesopotamian and Syrian kings and their family members are collected and illustrated here for the first time. It turns out that almost all of the seals depicted either the ruler himself in his godly or warlike aspect, or scenes of animal battles. It is argued that the animal fighting scene served as a metaphor for the ruler's function as the guardian of law and order” (Author's abstract; English translation from German by mDP).
     [Some seals from Urkesh/Tell Mozan are discussed in this paper; they are all briefly listed on p. 53, nos 20-24, with pictures on p. 60.]
[mDP – October 2022]

T. Sedláček
2014
 “The mythological background of three seal impressions found in Urkesh,”
Religio: Revue pro religionistiku 22.1, pp. 29-53.
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See abstract
The author presents in this paper three seal impressions found at tell Mozan/Urkesh, in the area of the royal palace: A5q680.o (an 'Etana' type motif sealing), A1.483 (a sealing presenting a double-face god with a typical divine, horned, conical headgear), and a last seal impression, whose no. is not provided.
[mDP – July 2019]

M. Kelly-Buccellati
2016
 “Women's Power and Work in Ancient Urkesh,”
in S.L. Budin and J.M. Turfa (eds.), Women in Antiquity: Real Women across the Ancient World, London and New York: Routledge, pp. 48-63.
See full text
See abstract
This contribution is devoted to an analysis of the role and figure of women in ancient Urkesh's society, as depicted via glyptic material and clay figurines. The author underlines the peculiarity of the women depictions at Urkesh: “From the immediacy of the Urkesh seal iconography, combined with the seal inscriptions, we can obtain a glimpse of the life of the women at that court. This is only the case of the Urkesh women-not the Urkesh men. The seal impressions we have for Tupkish himself [...] are realistic, but the male members of the court [...] all have heraldic scenes which do not reflect their 'work.' Even though these seal impressions all came from the same contexts as those of Uqnitum and her attendants, these male retainers have chosen to represent themselves only with more conventional designs” (p. 60).
[mDP – November 2019]

M. Kelly-Buccellati
2019
 “Images of Work in Urkesh,”
in M. D'Andrea, M.G. Micale, D. Nadali, S. Pizzimenti and A. Vacca (eds.),
Pearls of the Past. Studies on Near Eastern Art and Archaeology in Honour of Frances Pinnock, marru, Studies in Near and Middle Eastern Archaeology 8, Münster: Zaphon, pp. 413-427.
See full text
See abstract
The sealings found at Urkesh provide us with information not only about the royal couple and its courtiers, but also valuable data about working activities at the site. After a description of the main features of Urkesh's glyptics, the author presents sealings related to common people and describes craft production at Urkesh. The conclusions stress the importance of such an evidence in reconstructing ancient (palatial or not) crafting and service activitie at Urkesh, remarking the peculiar realism ed expressionism of these representations.
[mDP – November 2019]

D. Nadali
2019
 “Miniatures of Wars: Fights, Skirmishes and Conflicts in Ancient Near Eastern Seals,”
in SANEM 3, pp. 317-322.
See full text
“Starting from two seal impressions from Tell Mozan, ancient Urkeš (Syria), this paper presents and discusses some Near Eastern seals from Syria and Mesopotamia whose iconography is related to war or warlike scenes. The figurative theme resembles the narrative representations of war in major monuments (such as bas-reliefs on wall panels and steles) – or vice versa? – with a clear selection of culminating moments due to the restricted surface that the seal can offer. Because of the similarity with major visual monuments, what is the meaning of and reason for carving scenes of warfare on ancient seals? The question of visibility and circulation of the theme of war and victory in ancient Near Eastern societies, with all implications of the political and religious ideology of war, will be considered” (author's abstract on p. 317).
[mDP – August 2020]

### 2. Links to multimidia outside Urkesh/E-Library. AVASA {#Multi TO="multimedia: glyptics; glyptics: multimedia"} This section offers links to other relevant webpages regarding the topic of the present page (i.e., glyptics at Urkesh/Tell Mozan).

  1. Topical book "GLYPTICS".
  2. Record page "Typology/Seal legends".

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