Les sceaux-cylindres

Abstract

Cylinder seals, which emerged at the end of the 4th millennium BCE between Mesopotamia and Iran, are small engraved cylinders used to roll images onto clay. Used for nearly three millennia, they played a key role in administrative procedures and the assertion of political legitimacy. Initially tools of management, they later evolved into personal signatures and prestige items. Their iconographic repertoire offers crucial insights into ancient Near Eastern societies. Crafted from diverse materials, they reflect remarkable artisanal skill and complex networks of exchange. Today, interdisciplinary research and digital tools such as 3D modeling provide new perspectives on these artifacts and their multiple identities.