For the ancients, an intaglio seal might have a
variety of meanings or functions. Engraved with
the crest of an individual or a clan, such a seal
might act as an insignia of rank, a legal
signature, or a mark of property. Adorned with
religious symbols or magic images, an intaglio
might assume some spiritual importance
necessary to maintain the balance of the
universe. It may be a talisman of good luck, one
whose imagery assured bountiful success or
protection from evil. This superb intaglio, carved
in the Upper Euphrates Valley, depicts with
abstract vitality a pair of long-horned ibexes or
gazelles, animals whose religious importance
stretches back thousands of years. They are
perhaps symbols of fertility or icons of an
abundant hunt. Bold and vigorous, they appeal as
much to the modern sensibility as they surely did
to the ancient one.
- (PF.1950)
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