The iconography of cylinder seals of the Sargonic ruling elites

Student: Ishutova Vrinda

Educational Programme: Assyriology (Bachelor)

Final Grade: 7

Year of Graduation: 2024

This paper discusses the iconography of seals belonging to the Sargonic elite, their status, affiliations, and more. We aim to determine whether there is a correlation between status, affiliation, and the specific design on the seal of its owner. We have analyzed several seals and seal impressions from the Naram-Suen period. Among them are the seals of a royal chef, a prince, two princesses, a scribe, and a cupbearer. Based on our analysis, we suggest that the image depicted on the seals is related to a person’s status. However, we are not entirely confident in this claim and would like to investigate it further.

Full text (added May 27, 2024)

Student Theses at HSE must be completed in accordance with the University Rules and regulations specified by each educational programme.

Summaries of all theses must be published and made freely available on the HSE website.

The full text of a thesis can be published in open access on the HSE website only if the authoring student (copyright holder) agrees, or, if the thesis was written by a team of students, if all the co-authors (copyright holders) agree. After a thesis is published on the HSE website, it obtains the status of an online publication.

Student theses are objects of copyright and their use is subject to limitations in accordance with the Russian Federation’s law on intellectual property.

In the event that a thesis is quoted or otherwise used, reference to the author’s name and the source of quotation is required.

Search all student theses