Cleveland Museum of Art

Seal Amulet in the form of a Lion's Head

Date

3800–3500 BCE

Medium

agate

Culture

Mesopotamia, Iraq

Department

Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Delicately carved from exotic semiprecious stone, this tiny seal in the shape of a lion's head (rendered in profile) would have functioned not only as the legal signature of its ancient owner but also a protective amulet, magically conferring to its wearer the lion's natural virtues of courage, leadership, and strength. These amulets were commonly found in tombs of women and children.

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