by Dr. Robert Mullins
Over half a million clay tablets, many of them bearing the impressions of seals, have survived from the Ancient Near East. Most originate in Iraq, the homeland of ancient Assyria and Babylonia, providing us with a huge archive of information about “the cradle of civilization” from 3300 to 300 BC. Seals are usually made from stone, but other materials were used as well, such as bone, ivory, wood, or baked clay. The earliest seals with incised designs on their base looked a little bit like buttons. Later, the concept of a cylinder that you could roll across clay came into use. Cylinder seals were generally made with a recessed design, so that when it was rolled across the clay, it would leave an impression in relief. Cylinder seal designs are a fascinating record of the religious beliefs and customs of their owners. Some reflect themes familiar from the Bible, such as the tree of life and a king receiving the law from a deity. Mr. Al Farr of Mission Viejo has a collection of such seals from ancient Sumer, Babylonia and Assyria. It is his desire to donate these seals to APU as part of a public display, and as a study collection for APU students and visiting scholars. Towards this end, Dr. Robert Mullins has been assessing this collection and determining the ways it can best be used for teaching APU students and visitors to our campus about the world of the Bible.
