Investigation of Some of the Selected Susa Cylinder Seals from the First Half of the Third Millennium B.C

Since the invention of seals up until now, the Glyptic on them have passed down different styles in different communities, so that the images may be investigated in terms of economic, administrative, and cultural issues, and the researchers may understand the development and technical progress of the art of engraving seals in the communities during the eras that such seals were used. Since the late 4th millennium and the beginning of the third 3rd millennium BC, the basis for establishing civilizations in Iran was prepared, almost at the same time as Mesopotamia. The artistic styles of imaging and glyptic seals of this period have drawn too much attention and were so effective and important in identifying the culture of this land. Susa is one of the centers that has provided researchers with archaeology and cultural data about this period. The seals and sealing obtained from archaeological excavations in Susa show the existence of different styles in the illustration of seals from this period of Iranian cultural history. The goal of the present study is to study some selected seals of the 1st half of the 3rd millennium BC of Susa and compare them in terms of function according to the iconography of patterns. Moreover, we try to answer this question: “Does the iconography of the selected seals show an aspect of their function in a special area? (economic, social, and cultural)?” and “could we identify special persons or the social levels of the community in the direction of using such seals in the study and compare the seals patterns?”. The study was done using an analytical approach and the museum-library comparative studies method, and has yielded fruitful answers to the relevant questions.