Article

A Winged Horse at Tell Tweini. An Exceptional Middle Assyrian Cylinder Seal

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Abstract

A rare, high quality cylinder seal bearing the depiction of a hero fighting a winged horse/Pegasus' was discovered within an Iron Age II context at the A Field of Tell Tweini(1). This floor deposit comprised an assemblage of artefacts consisting of two cylinder seals, one stamp seal, five beads and a large quantity of pottery.Based on recently published parallels from Assur - in motif and style - and according to the comparative chronological categorization the Tweini seal can be dated to the 13th century BC, probably to the reign of Tukulti-Ninurta I (ca. 1243-1207 BC). This period is well attested in the rich archaeological record of Level 7 - Late Bronze Age II at Tweini. Since the floor deposit including this cylinder seal was dated to Level 6AB - Iron Age II, the seal consequently appears to have been kept over a long period.

How to Cite:

Bretschneider, J., Jans, G. & Cauchi, R., (2019) “A Winged Horse at Tell Tweini. An Exceptional Middle Assyrian Cylinder Seal”, Akkadica 140(2), 149–160. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/akkadica.99667

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