AN ACHAEMENID BLUE CHALCEDONY SEAL IN GOLD MOUNT,... Lot n° 242

A large Achaemenid scaraboid in blue chalcedony in the 'Greco-Persian' style mounted in a gold band which is then attached to a coiled wire swivel mount favoured in the eastern Mediterranean at the time. The scaraboid depicts the Great King walking to the left holding a spear in his left hand and his gold scepter in his right which is always shown as a lotus flower shaped object. Behind him walk two attendant guards who also hold spears as well as bow cases on their backs. The encasing gold mount is decorated with filigreed 'S' shaped wires. The ruler depicted is almost certainly Artaxerxes I who ruled from 465-424 BC. His reign was long and eventful, finally concluding a peace with the Greeks with the war that his father has started. Such a seal would have been in the possession of someone in the highest echelons of Persian society, most probably an official near to the Great King. Dimensions: 27 by 32 mm. Weight: 37.96. Grams PROVENANCE From a European collection formed in the 1980's.