Ancient seals, cameos and intaglios

The ancient techniques of hardstone engraving, which originated in the ancient Near East and culminated with innovations and new developments in the Mediterranean, are represented in our online shop by fascinating examples of cylinder seals, scarabs, cameos and intaglios. Early cylinder and stamp seals from the ancient Near East deserve special credit. They are manifest reflections of the earliest urban cultures and religions in this region. Sassanian seals represent a special group among the seals from the Near East. They differ from other seals in their shape, but also in motifs which were influenced by the unique mythological and religious concepts of the Sassanids. Scarabs from Egypt represent another type of seals and are thought to be the most important symbol of regeneration. They are figuratively as sacred to Egyptians as the Holy Cross to Christians. Scarab seals became popular even outside of Egypt, especially in the Levant, where they were adapted to other religious and personal needs. The glyptic arts reached their peak during Hellenistic and Roman times, so that a Roman intaglio or cameo is a must-have for every collection. Cameos and intaglios from these era mostly depict divine and human figures, as well as endemic plants and animals.