Catalogue of the Western Asiatic Seals in the British Museum ─ Pre-Achaemenid and Achaemenid Periods

The purpose of this publication is to create an inventory of the impressions of Near Eastern stamp seals on cuneiform tablets and clay bullae, and on pottery jar handles from Palestine, now in the collections of the British Museum. The introductory text discusses the background of the collections, such as provenance and date, and citations and cataloguing. The centerpiece, of course, is the catalogue itself. The illustrations of the individual seals and pottery fragments are clear and well-presented. Accompanying descriptive and interpretive text also is clear, and thoroughly documented. Most of the seals are from the ninth century to the second century B.C., and are arranged in chronological order so that design changes can be clearly recognized. This volume is distributed by Brill. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Terence C. Mitchell, M.A. (Cantab.) 1954, was on the staff of the Department of Western Asiatic Antiquities (now Department of the Middle East), The British Museum from 1959-1989, for the last six years as Keeper (Head of Department).Ann Searight is draughtsman on the staff of the Department of Western Asiatic Antiquities (now Department of the Middle East), The British Museum from 1972 to the present. She participated in many excavations in the Near East.