and only a few have inscriptions of any length or historical import (Figures 7. 22 and
7. 23 ; and see Figures 7. 27 and 7. 28 ; see also Watanabe 1995 ). It should be noted that
inscriptions were now cut so as to be read on the actual seal – i.e. reversed on the
impression – an indication that the impression of the seal was of secondary importance.
Attempts at establishing a chronology are extremely tentative (Porada 1947 ; Boeh-
mer 1973 ; Wittmann 1992 ; Collon 2001 : 154 – 5 ) and it is even difficult to define
criteria for differentiating Babylonian from Assyrian seals, particularly from the late
eighth century onwards. It seems, however, that in Babylonia more use was made of
hard stones than in Assyria, and Babylonian technical expertise was correspondingly
superior. The terms Neo- and Late Babylonian are often used interchangeably, although
there is a tendency to adopt the latter term for the Chaldaean dynasty that ruled
briefly from 625 to 539 BC. Here the term ‘Neo-Babylonian’ will be used for the
whole period under consideration, from its arbitrary initial date of 1000 BC.
There is no way of knowing for how long the designs, isolated above as being
possibly distinctive of the Second Dynasty of Isin, may have continued into the first
millennium. Two groups appear to be distinctive of the early first millennium BC;
both, paradoxically, are derived from Middle Assyrian styles of the thirteenth century
BC. This may indicate continuity, but it is possible that Babylonian craftsmen con-
sciously turned to the lively styles of Assyria for inspiration after the stagnation of
Third Kassite (see Figure 7. 21 ). The first group is cut with animals or monsters
pursuing each other around the seal (Figure 7. 24 ), worked not only with cutting
wheel and drill, but also filed, thus producing the distinctive diagonal direction of
the design (cf. Collon 1987 , nos. 285 – 6 for Middle Assyrian prototypes). They are
small hard-stone cylinders from sites in southern Babylonia such as Ur and Uruk,
1111
2
3
4222
5
6
7
8
9
10
1
2
3111
4
5111
6
7222
8
9
20111
1
2
3
4
5111
6
7
8
9
30
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
40
1
222
3
4
5
6
71111
— Babylonian seals —
Figure 7. 21 Animal; tree; border of triangles.
Vitrified faience. 4. 1 × 1. 5. BM ANE 89518 ( 1859 - 10 - 14 , 191 ).
