AN ACHAEMENID SEAL IN GREEN JASPER, 5TH-6TH CENTURY BC

A large dark green jasper scaraboid mounted in a contemporary electrum setting. The design shows a bull rearing to the left, the engraver has given the bull a striated body. In this case it seems to represent embellishment to show the relief rather than representing any attempt to show realism. The elongated body is manneristic in the way that such animals are shown on the glyphic art of the period, including cylinder seals from a slightly earlier period.
Green jasper and electrum. Achaemenid 5th-6th century BC.
30 by 25 mm.

PROVENANCE
Ex-European private collection acquired before 1970