Cylinder Seals

Cylinder Seals

Cylinder seals were carved in reverse, and they were carried on the neck by passing a leather or string rope through the hole in the middle. They are long and cylindrical shaped. They were important for trade and were used as signatures by rolling on wet clay. The negative depictions on the seals were transferred to the clay as positive. Seals were made of hard stone, bone, glass, or terracotta.