‘A presentation scene of a seated god and three standing figures before him. The seated god wears a horned tiara and long flounced robe while sitting on an angular stool. He carries a rod over one shoulder and with the other hand holds up a cup overflowing with water and holding three plant shoots. He is bearded, as is the first standing figure. He too is a god, in horned tiara but long robe falling in creases from the waist down. Behind him is a human couple: the man first, bearded and wearing a long fringed robe and raising one hand, the woman with head-band and long robe falling in creases, also raising one hand. There is a star (symbol of Venus) in the sky, and a tall mace and two scorpions are fillers in the scene. A stylised palm tree forms a terminal.

This is an Akkadian seal, c.2300-2200 BC. The stone is worn but the design was deeply cut and has survived very well. While the seal is Akkadian, the scorpions and palm tree are later additions made when the seal passed to a second owner in the ancient world.’

Interpretation and dating provided by Professor Lambert.