Arch-Tech: Digitizing Ancient Seals

Seals are some of the most compelling and ubiquitous objects we have from the ancient Near East. Small enough to grasp in the palm of your hand or to wear as an item of jewelry, seals are either cylinder or stamp shaped. Seals were used to transmit engraved figures, symbols, and patterns onto softer materials like clay by pressing or rolling. They predate the earliest cities and lasted until late antiquity. Both seals and their ancient impressions survive in large quantities and are kept in museums around the world. The Yale Babylonian Collection (YBC) holds more than 4,000 cylinder and […]