Shapes

Sasanian seals are stamp seals (as opposed to cylinder seals of ancient Mesopotamia). The variety of shapes is very restricted. Ellipsoids and domes are typical for seals from the Sasanian period.

1. Ellipsoid
2. Dome
3. Stone Ring
4. Ring Seal

1. Ellipsoid

The seal looks like an ellipsoid with a piece cut off. Thus an oval plane for the engaving is created. The back of the seal is sometimes decorated. The perforations are of different sizes.

Abb. 1a
Ellipsoid
Seal Nr. 1359

2. Dome

The seal has the form of a sphere with a section cut off to create a rount plane for engraving. The back is occasionally decorated.

Abb. 2a
Dome
Seal Nr. 1523

3. Stone Ring

Some ellipsoids are very flat with a very big perforation so that they were possibly worn as rings.

Abb. 3a
Stone Ring
Seal Nr. 0882

4. Ring Seal

Seal stones of the Sasanian period to be used as bezels for rings of precious metals have much the same shape as ring seals of former periods or ring seals used in contemporary Roman Empire.

Abb. 4a
Ring Seal
Seal Nr. 0305