7th-4th century BC. A blue-grey chalcedony stamp seal, pierced laterally towards the top for suspension; accompanied by a museum-quality impression and a typed and signed scholarly note issued by the late W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'This is a conoid with oval convex face...the face shows a worship scene: a man in a long robe standing holding up one hand to a stand on which lies the mushussu-monster, part lion part snake, on the back of which rise the spade, symbol of the god Marduk, and two styluses, symbol of the god Nabu. There is a lunar crescent in the sky and a two-sign cuneiform inscription behind the man. This is a late Babylonian seal, c. 600-350 B.C. from Mesopotamia or south-west Iran. The inscription consists of two signs: 'AN DUH X DUH' and is well known on the Late Babylonian stamp seals, but the second sign is unknown outside these seal inscriptions. The most probable explanation, based on related seal inscriptions, is that it means: 'cause him to have a god' which means 'make him successful', a personal god bring success. The head of the standing figure is chipped, otherwise this seal is in very good condition, an is large for its type.' 11.2 grams, 23mm (1"). From the Empire collection, an important UK private collection of seals, acquired between 1980-1983; accompanied by a copy of a typed and signed scholarly note, by the late W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham, 1970-1993.