Cylinder Seals were impression stamps used by the people of ancient Mesopotamia. Known as kishib in Sumerian and kunukku in Akkadian, the seals were used by everyone, from royals to slaves, as a means of authenticating identity in correspondence. In time, they came to be recognized as one's personal identification.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 7600 BCE - c. 6000 BCEStamp Seals and Cylinder Seals develop in Mesopotamia.
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c. 7600 BCE - c. 610 BCECylinder Seals in use throughout Mesopotamia.