Cleveland Museum of Art

Seal with Two-Horned Bull and Inscription

Date: c. 2000 BCE
Medium: steatite
Culture: Pakistan, Indus Valley civilization
Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Institution: Cleveland Museum of Art
Object ID: 147416

From the Cleveland Museum of Art record

Small stone seals, probably used to identify merchandise or property, are among the most numerous objects discovered from the mysterious proto-historic sites along the banks of the Indus River system. Like these, most have sensitively rendered animal imagery along with an inscription written in a script that has not yet been deciphered. A perforated boss at the back allowed the seal to be suspended and easily pressed.

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Provenance & credit

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Credit line: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Provenance: ?–1973: (William H. Wolff [1906–1991], New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) | 1973–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Part of a LinkedCulture topic

Ancient Egyptian Personal Objects
These objects are cosmetic implements and grooming tools from ancient Egypt, including mirrors, palettes for grinding pigments, and decorative knives, representing daily life and personal adornment practices.
476 objects from 5 institutions