Lot 185

Sasanian Stone Amulet with Possible King Portrait

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Lot 185
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Sasanian Stone Amulet with Possible King Portrait
Sasanian Stone Amulet with Possible King Portrait
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Sasanian Stone Amulet with Possible King Portrait

Estimate: $500 - $750

Current Bid: $250

(1 Bid)
by Artemis Fine Arts
June 5, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Ancient Near East, Persia, Sasanian period, ca. 3rd to 7th century CE. A Sasanian stone stamp seal bead carved with the head of a male figure, presented in profile and rendered with confident, abbreviated lines. The face is framed by stylized hair or a crown-like headdress, suggesting the image may represent a ruler or elite individual rather than a generic portrait. The carving favors symbolic clarity over realism, a hallmark of Sasanian glyptic art. Portrait seals were closely tied to authority, identity, and legitimacy in the Sasanian world. Images of kings and nobles circulated widely on seals used to mark documents, goods, and correspondence, projecting power and status through compact visual form. Even when worn as amulets, such seals carried connotations of protection, rank, and divine favor, linking the wearer to the imperial order. Size: 0.8" Diameter x 0.7" H (2 cm x 1.8 cm)

Drilled for suspension and bearing clear signs of age and wear, this bead was meant for regular use, its surface pressed into clay or wax or carried on the body. Softened by time yet visually direct, the seal preserves a potent image of masculine authority, offering a glimpse into how power was seen, worn, and impressed in late antique Iran.

Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005

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Item # 199162

  • Condition: Chipping with some small areas of loss. Otherwise, wearable with nice remaining detail.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000