Lot 80, Auction 3/19/2026: Sasanian Glass Stamp Seal with Warrior Combat

$325.00

In stock

Ancient Near East, Persia, Sasanian period, ca. 3rd to 7th century CE. A translucent pale green glass stamp seal bead or amulet from the Sasanian period, engraved with a dynamic scene of two warrior figures locked in combat. Rendered in a highly stylized and linear manner, the figures face one another with outstretched limbs, their forms reduced to bold silhouettes that emphasize movement and confrontation rather than naturalistic detail. Such glass stamp seals and beads were widely used across the Sasanian world as personal identifiers, amulets, or administrative tools, often worn on cords or set into rings. Martial imagery held particular resonance in Sasanian culture, which celebrated kingship, heroism, and divine sanction through warfare and victory. Scenes of combat may reference epic traditions, royal ideology, or protective symbolism, projecting strength and authority onto the wearer. Size: 0.8″ W x 0.6″ H (2 cm x 1.5 cm)

The bead’s soft translucency, internal striations, and signs of wear suggest long use, while the drilled perforation indicates it was meant to be worn or carried. Modest in scale yet visually charged, this object offers a vivid glimpse into the symbolic language of power and conflict in the late antique Iranian world.

Condition: Weathering to surface with nicks and abrasions commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact, excellent, and wearable with liberal remaining detail.

Provenance: private San Francisco, California, USA collection, acquired 1970s to 2000s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

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