Hero (archer) hunting human-headed winged lion (shedu, sphinx)

Object no. S01126
Description of the seal image The scene is framed by line borders at the top and bottom. A half-kneeling hero (archer) wearing a long, belted robe aims his bow at a human-headed winged lion (shedu, sphinx). The hero has a tasselled quiver on his back and is further armed with a sword in a sheath at his waist. Between the two figures, there is an eight-rayed star above a fish or a plant, while behind them, the stylus of Nabu. Above the hybrid creature are a crescent moon and a wedge.
Figures, motifs/symbols - borderlines (2): line borders at the top and bottom
- crescent moon
- fish or plant (the field is damaged between the two figures)
- hero: half-kneeling, archer, hunter, wearing a long, belted robe; he has a tasselled quiver on his back and is further armed with a sword in a sheath at his waist
- human-headed winged lion (shedu, sphinx): bearded, raising a forepaw
- star: eight-rayed
- stylus of Nabu
- wedge: cuneiform
Subcategory cylinder seal
Collection De Clercq Collection
Museum number De Clercq 304
Condition, shape The field is damaged between the two figures.
Culture Neo-Assyrian
Provenance ex-de Clercq Collection
First occurence before 1888
Archaeological context N/A
Registration number N/A
Dimensions (mm): height, diameter h: 27, d: 13
Material and features "porphyre noir"
Style linear
Scene hunting
Bibliography

De Clercq – Menant 1888, 176–177 no. 304 and pl. XXIX.



De Clercq, L. – Menant, J.: Collection de Clercq: Catalogue méthodique et raisonné. Antiquités assyriennes: Cylindres orientaux, cachets, briques, bronzes, bas-reliefs, etc. I: Cylindres orientaux. I: Texte – II: Planches et carte. Paris, 1888.

Object history The publications mentioning the objects in this database were collected and the objects classified by ZN; data for the present object was input and preliminary description of the object done by GE based on the relevant publication provided, then the data was checked by MNy and the present object descriptions done by HL; object data and description were finalized by ZN. GE – Gábor Erdős, HL – Huba Lőrincz, ZN – Zoltán Niederreiter, MNy – Mónika Nyitrai
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