ANCIENT SEAL BEAD AMULETS

Most seals are beads as seen on the above picture with at least one flat, engraved side.
It produces a mirror image after first being pressed into sealing wax or clay or inked and then put on paper. The purpose was to signify the owner. The mere ownership of a seal indicated a high social position in society. They furthermore served as protectors and talismen. Seals were used up to the beginning of the 19th century - especially in Eastern Persia and Afghanistan.

Royal Lion Seal

Most of the
beads
are
for sale

SB 1 - 18 * 18 * 17 mm
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Lion seal from the Persian Achaemenid Empire 550-330 BC

The amazing seal displayed above was together with all the seals you see here, sourced from Afghanistan. However all the seals belong to Persia. The lion on the seal is in the same position as the Achaemenid Golden Lion portrayed in the middle. This seal and the many others below shows the dominance of the Persians in the area.
As far back as in ancient Mesopotamia the Lion was a symbol of Kingship. Only the King or his administration was allowed to use the lion as a seal. The lion was a royal animal. Only the Kings or the Noble men around him were allowed to keep or hunt lions. The Achaemenid culture from which this seal most probably is kept this custom.

Below you see what most probably is related to the standard of Cyrus the Great.

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Afghanistan was a already from the days of Cyrus a cultural melting pot. Below you can see the influence from India. The swastika in the jasper seal could both refer to Buddhism and Hinduism.

SB 2 - 20 * 18 * 15 mm
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SOLD
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Ancient Jewish intaglio

Ancient Jewish Intaglio in carnelian stone - 26 * 16 * 6 mm

Shema Yisrael: Echod Mashem Elomaynu Mashem Yisroel Shmah
Hear, O Israel: the LORD is our God, the LORD is one

According to Tamud, the depicted fish in the middle
is a protector against the evil eye.

A strange seven spoked wheel seal

SB 3 - 33 * 13 * 5 mm

SASSANIAN SEAL BEADS
The rest of the seals displayed here are from the Sasanian Iranian culture, AD 224-642, though they were all sourced in Afghanistan. This was the last Iranian empire before the arrival of Islam.

The Lion King bead

SSB 1 - 25 * 18 * 13 mm
The Lion King
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SSB 1 - 20 * 18 * 16 mm

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Royal Lion Seal Bead

SB 4 - 15 * 12 * 9,5 mm

SB 5 - 17 * 14 * 11 mm

The Gayomard Seal Bead
In Sasanian Iran, AD 224-642, every free man was obliged to wear a stamp seal. These stamp seals were often depicting astrological symbols. The seal displayed above shows the constellation Orion with Sirius, also called the Dog Star.

SB 6 - 22,5 * 21 * 16 mm
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In the ancient Zorastrian mythology, the first mortal human ancestor is called Gayomard. After Gayamard was killed he was guided over the Bridge of Separation by the light of Sirius who was no other than his faithful dog, Yellow Ears. Since Gayomard escorts the dead to the underworld.

SB 7 - 17 * 13 mm

SB 8 - 11 * 9 * 9 mm

SB 9 - 15 * 13 * 7 mm

Sassanian Warrior head Seals

SB 10 - 14 * 12 mm

SB 11 - 15 * 13 * 12 mm

SB 12 - 14,5 * 12 * 11 mm

SB 13 - 16,5 * 14 * 8,5 mm

SB 14 - 17 * 14 * 10 mm

Sassanian Scorpion seal Beads

SB 15 - 22 * 19 * 16 mm

SB 16 - 17 * 14,5 * 11 mm

SB 17 - 16 * 14 * 10 mm

SB 18 - 19 * 15 * 10 mm

SB 19 - 18 * 15,5 * 10 mm

SB 20 - 15 * 15 * 10 mm

SB 21 - 14 * 13 * 11,5 mm
This scorpion seal bead is made in the Indian translucent moonstone.
I have added light to make the translucent shine come more out.

Palm leaf Seals

SB 22 - 19 * 15 * 14 mm

SB 23 - 20 * 17 * 15 mm

SB 24 - 13,5 * 12 * 10,5 mm

Various motives

SB 25 - 14,5 * 12,5 * 11 mm
Whirling star motive

SB 26 - 15 * 13,5 * 10,5 mm
Whirling star motive

SB 27 - 11 * 10 * 7 mm
This is a very rare seal bead depicting a horse

SB 28 - 16 * 14 * 11 mm
Again a rare seal with the Blessing Hand. The Blessing Hand is known back to the
Indus Valley culture, later in Buddhism and in the Sassanian culture.
Later, when Islam became predominant in Persia, the Blessing Hand
survived in the form of Fatimas Hand