1937

v.der Osten Tarih Dil ve Cografya Fakültesi Ankara, Nov.4, 1937 John Franklin Daniel, Esq. University Museum Pennsylvania, Pa. PLEASE FORWARD

Dear Mr. Daniel:

Your letter of July 5 reached me finally forewarded by Dr.McEwan. I am sorry I can not tell you very much about the seals. The impression on the potsherd seems to me to be of a Babylonian cylinder. (Hamurappi Dynasty or a bit later). I know several of such seals but unfortunately not one has been found yet clearly stratified. But I am rather sure that it is not a Cappadocian one.

The seal with the archer I would date between 1200 and 900, perhaps even a little later; it reminds of such from Cerablus. For the last cylinder seal I can not say much. I think that it dates arround 1000. You say that the associated material with the impressed sherd is not older than 1600. That would not affect greatly the presence of a seal from the first half of the 2nd.Mill. B.C. Seals are known to be used quite a long time and kept for still a longer time. For the stamp I can say nothing at all. I have never seen the likes of it.

On the sealimpression one recognizes a worshipper in a long mantle decorated with fringes and wearing a round cap. Then follows the thunderstormgod swinging a sicklesword and holding a conventionalized thunderbolt while stepping on a bull which he holds by a rope. Before him is a second personage in a long mantle and wearinga round cap but in a different attitude(Perhaps a deity, while the first is a worshipper). Then comes "Gilgamesh" pressing a vase to his chest from which flows towards both sides streams into similar vases standing on the floor.

I am very much interested also in the pot of which you send a picture. In its design it shows some affinities with our Anatolian Post ...