Mid 3rd millennium BC. An old Iranian lapis lazuli cylinder seal which shows two registers, but not divided by a line; in each of them a squatting deity is surrounded by female squatting or kneeling adorants, some of them with offerings; in the upper scene, a goddess facing right appears capped with a pair of bovine horns, with wings protruding from her shoulders, wearing only a herringbone skirt; the hands of the angled bangled arms are joined in front of her stomach; on the left behind her is a kneeling adorer wearing a headscarf, its long ends knotted at the back of the head stick out, a large cup as a gift in the hand, in front of the knees an ostrich egg as another gift; of the women on the right facing the goddess the first one with the same headscarf and also kneeling holds an ostrich egg in her right hand; the second, crouching behind her, raises her left hand for worshipping; between the goddess and the front woman is a small altar; in the lower scene, a god crouching as well is characterised as vegetation god by five plant stems, which grow out of his shoulders, neck and head; behind him a squatting woman raising the right arm to worship; a big mug over the hand; in front on the right of the god a kneeling woman, behind her a squatting deity, indicated by the horn cap. For another cylinder seal with the same two deities side by side, from Tepe Jahj?, Iran, level IVB, c. 2500 BC, Tehran, Muzeh-e Iran-e Bastan, see Orthmann, W. Der Alte Orient. Propyläen Kunstgeschichte, vol. 14, Berlin, 1975, fig.283c, p.381a (text); cf. ibd. fig. 283b (cyl. seal with vegetation goddess); fig.d (cyl. seal with two winged and horned deities); for other vegetation deities on cylinder seals cf. Parrot, A. Sumer und Akkad, München, 1983 (4th ed.), p.212, fig.203; Boehmer, R.M. Die Entwicklung der Glyptik während der Akkad-Zeit, Berlin, 1965, pl.XLV-XLVIII (Old Akkadian, c. 2340-2200 BC); Ward, W.H. SCWA, Washington, 1910, p.132-137 (chapter XIX: Deities of agriculture); for winged deities cf. Collon, D. The Seal Impressions from Tell Atchana/Alalakh, AOAT 27, Neukirchen-Vluyn, 1975, pl.XX (1720-1650 and 15th century BC"). 10.9 grams, 34mm (1 1/2"). From the private collection of a North West London lady; previously with a central London gallery; formerly acquired before 1990. Accompanied by a museum-quality impression.