gems, glyptic, engraved gems, agate, cameo, intaglio, seals, cylinders, collection, comparanda, catalogue, ivory

The present monograph deals with inscribed seals dating from the period of the Hebrew monarchy. Not only seals from Palestine, but also those from neighbouring countries have been included, in order to show their common cultural background. For the same reason, illustrations of contemporary ivories, etc., have been given. These monuments, small as they are, throw new light on Biblical archaeology and religious thought. Most of these seals were hitherto known to a few specialists only, and many had been badly reproduced. Some of them are published here for the first time. For all these reasons, it is hoped that this booklet will serve a useful purpose. The inscriptions found on the seals are proof of the growing religious consciousness of the Jewish people, and their representations serve to illustrate the art of the Solomonic temple. The influence which this Hebrew–Phoenician art had on Greece and the West is also treated in this monograph.