A new type makes its appearance about the fifth or sixth century B.C., namely, the scaraboid seal introduced from Egypt. From the third century B.C. until the second or third century A.D., the seals became lower and flatter, and the perforation larger, until they sometimes assumed the form of rings; later the ring form becomes general. They are usually hollowed a little in the middle, which gives them the shape and size of the lower short joints of a reed; indeed, it has been suggested that the original seal was rudely patterned after a reed joint. The materials used for these cylinders include lapis-lazuli, very freely used and probably from the Persian mines, jasper, rock-crystals, chalcedony, carnelian, agate, jade, etc.; a hard, black variety of serpentine is perhaps the most common of all the materials used for this purpose.[180]
PHOENICIAN SCARAB, WITH ENGRAVED SCORPION. (See page [115].)
ANCIENT BABYLONIAN CYLINDER IMPRESSION, BEARING FIGURES OF THE GOD NEBO AND A WORSHIPPER, AND SYMBOLS OF SUN AND MOON.
From Fischer and Wiedemann “Ueber Babylonische Talismane,” Stuttgart, 1881, Pl. 1, fig. 3.
A SMALL JADE CELT ENGRAVED WITH GNOSTIC INSCRIPTIONS IN THE FOURTH CENTURY.