An Exceptional Near Eastern Hematite Cylinder Seal , Mid to late 2nd millennium BCE

A small and finely carved cylinder seal, crafted from rich dark brown hematite, comes from an era known for exceptional artistic expression in glyptic arts. Illustrating superior craftsmanship, the seal depicts a central figure—likely a deity or protective spirit—standing with arms raised in a symmetrical and frontal posture. The figure wears a headdress or diadem and features prominent outstretched wings, identifying it as a supernatural being or divine entity, a common motif in Mesopotamian glyptic art symbolizing divine authority and protective power. It grasps the tails of two confronting lions rendered in profile with exaggerated musculature and raised tails whose bodies curve downward as they attack a fallen antelope placed beneath them. The central tableau is surmounted by common Mesopotamian and later Assyro-Babylonian divine emblems: a large winged disc flanked by two rosettes, potent symbols of celestial authority and divine favor. Below the figures runs a linear band compose