Bactrian Bronze Age Cast Metals and Engraved Stones

An example of the cruciform cast copper/bronze stamp seal, a major design in the Bactrian culture:

Ancient Bactrian Cruciform Compartmented Seal Dated, Published by Archeologist
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The time of production of copper compartmented stamp seals in Bactria is determined to be 2,500 B.C. to 1,600 B.C.   

This stamp seal is at least three thousand four hundred years old.   Described in Myths of Ancient Bactria-Margiana on Its Seals and Amulets by Dr. Victor Sarianidi, leader of the Russian excavation, on pages 106, 107, plate 301:  Seal, open work, corrugated edges.  Copper D - 5.4 cm  Cross 'patee' in the center of the seal. Ron Garner's (my own) collection  I would add that the center of the seal is in the form of a cross, a commonly found symbol in Bronze Age Bactrian compartmented stamp seals. The photo is published at plate 301. 

References: Victor Sarianidi, Necropolis of Gonur, Athens, 2007 Victor Sarianidi, Myths of Ancient Bactria and Margiana on its Seals and Amulets, 1998 Giancarlo Ligabue and Sandro Salvatori, Bactria, Venice, 198- 

Sylvia Winkelmann, Seals of the Oasis, Italy, 2004

Now for an example of and engraved stone in what Ms. Winkelmann names as the "smooth style" of making stone amulets: 

Ancient Stone Seal from Bactria Image of Horned Goat, Two Crescents  Contact me with questions or for invoice through the private message form at the top right of this page.

This is the image sheared from the stamp end of a pyramid shaped stamp seal or amulet. It is carved in brown stone. I would call it sandstone. 

It is photographed and published in the book Myths of Ancient Bactria-Margiana on Its Seals and Amulets, by Victor Sarianidi, the excavator of much of the Bactria-Margiana cultural ruins. Dr. Sarianidi, now deceased, visited us and photographed most of our Bactrian collection. Now most of the items we collected while we lived in Afghanistan, where Bactria is located, are published in Victor's works. 

This item is found on pages 256,257 of Myths of Ancient...., plate 1408.1 and 1408.2 as

'1408 Seal. Pyramidal stamp. Brown stone. 2.5 x 2.4 cm; h (thickness) 1.4 cm (corrected by owner to record the actual measurement of thickness as 4.3 mm)

This is a valuable addition to your collection of glyptics, whether from the Bactria Margiana Archeological Complex or from other related cultures.

A sampling shown here.   Contact me with questions or for invoice through the private message form at the top right of this page.