This ancient votive seal was discovered with a cache of related artifacts along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, these apparently were offerings at the shrine of some powerful nature god. This unknown deity appears to have been associated with fertility and rebirth. The designs that adorn the seals--of birds, animals, cult idols--probably stood in proxy for more costly sacrifices. Pressed into soft clay or wax, they would have created multiple images to win the favor of the god. Carved with abstract simplicty but an observant eye toward nature, the stark visual appeal of this piece is timeless. These seals represent dreams, hopes and apsirations for health, success, and happiness that are as old as civilization itself.