Abstract
We discuss the presence of symmetries in images engraved on ancient seals, in particular on stamp seals. Used to stamp decorations, to secure the containers from tampering and for owner's identification, we can find seals that can be dated from Neolithic times. Earliest seals were engraved with lines, dots and spirals. Nevertheless, these very ancient stamp seals, in the small circular or ovoid space of their bases, possess bilateral and rotational symmetries. The shape of the base seems to determine the symmetries of images engraved on it. We will also discuss what could be the meaning of antisymmetry and broken symmetry for images on seals.
Highlights
We can find symmetries in human artifacts across time and cultures
We find a relevant number of stamp seals with cords and coils, highly symmetric, mainly with bilateral symmetry, sometimes with two-fold rotational symmetry
This paper discussed the presence of symmetries in images engraved on ancient seals
Summary
We can find symmetries in human artifacts across time and cultures. As widely discussed, this is coming from a biological significance of the symmetry [1,2]. It is possible that they were used to stamp non-permanent tattoo, as guessed for seals found at Çatalhöyük (7500-5700 BCE) [12]. This use is guessed for the pre-Columbian seals [13]. In Egypt, the scarab seals largely replaced cylinder seals early in the 2nd millennium BCE and continued to be the main type of used seals, until they were replaced by the signet rings during the Roman period. Many scarabs of the Middle Kingdom Period have the base decorated with coils and entanglements of cords These decorations display bilateral symmetry (see Figure 1), sometimes with two- and four-fold rotational symmetry. Let us use a different approach, that of following a time-line to see if any evolution in the symmetries of the decorations is present
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