Öz
Seals were significant objects with administrative, commercial, and social functions in Mesopotamian and surrounding civilizations. The widespread use of geometric-patterned cylinder seals in Syria during the 3rd millennium BC indicates that these seals initially developed under Mesopotamian influence but gradually acquired a distinct local style. This study examines the influence of the Mesopotamian seal tradition on Syrian cylinder seals and how trade networks, particularly those connecting Mesopotamia, Susa, Ebla, and Egypt, facilitated their dissemination.
By analyzing seals from Tell Brak, Aleppo, and Alalakh, this study explores how geometric patterns in Syrian seals diverged from Mesopotamian prototypes and contributed to regional artistic diversity. The findings reveal that these seals served not only administrative and commercial functions but also played a crucial role in social status, identity, and ritual practices. The geometric motifs ranged from simple patterns used for commercial documentation to intricate designs emphasizing status and identity.
Although Syrian cylinder seals exhibit Mesopotamian influence, local artisans reinterpreted and adapted them, integrating regional motifs and techniques to create a distinctive sealing tradition. The use of geometric patterns is not merely an extension of Mesopotamian influence but rather a reinterpretation shaped by local artistic traditions, demonstrating how cultural exchange led to distinct regional styles.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Cylinder seal Syrian glyptic geometric patterns trade regional differences
Kaynakça
- Amiet, P. (1963). La glyptique syrienne archaique. Syria, 40: 57–83.
- Aruz, J. (2003). Art of the first cities: The third millennium B.C. from the Mediterranean to the Indus. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Ben-Tor, A. (1994). Early Bronze Age cylinder seal impressions and a stamp seal from Tel Qashish. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 295 :15–29.
- Braidwood, R. J., ve Braidwood, L. (1960). Excavations in the Plain of Antioch I: The earlier assemblages, Phases A-J (OIP Vol. LXI). Chicago: The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.
- Boese, J. (1991). Eine Gefäßscherbe mit Siegelabrollung und Ritzzeichnung aus Ğamseddin. J.-W. Meyer ( Der.), Ausgrabungen in Šamseddin und Djerniye: Gräber des 3. Jahrtausends v. Chr. im syrischen Euphrattal 3 (Schriften zur vorderasiatischen Archäologie 3) : içinde 107–117. Saarbrücken: SDV.
- Collon, D. (1982). The Alalakh cylinder seals: A new catalogue of the actual seals excavated by Sir Leonard Woolley at Tell Atchana, and from neighbouring sites on the Syrian-Turkish border (B.A.R. International Series, 132). Oxford: British Archaeological Reports.
- Collon, D. (1990). Interpreting the past: Near Eastern seals. London: University of California Press.
- Collon, D. (2005). First impressions: cylinder seals in the ancient Near East. London: British Museum Press.
- Collon, D., ve Reade, J. (1983). Archaic Nineveh. BaM, 14: 33–41.
- Darga, A. M. (1992). Hitit sanatı. İstanbul: Akbank Kültür Yayınları.
- Matthews, D. M. (1997). The early glyptic of Tell Brak: cylinder seals of the third millennium Syria. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
- Matthews, R. J. (1992). Defining the style of the period: Jemdet Nasr 1926–28. Iraq, 54: 1–34.
- Mazzoni, S. (1984). Seal-impressions on jars from Ebla in EB IVA-B. Akkadica, 37: 18–45.
- Mazzoni, S. (1993). Cylinder seal impressions on jars at Ebla: new evidence. M. J. Mellink ve E. Porada (Der.), Aspects of art and iconography: Anatolia and its neighbours. Studies in honor of Nimet Özgüç: içinde 399–414. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.
- Özkan, S. (2022). Eski Anadolu’da mühür sanatı. Ankara: Akademisyen Kitabevi.
- Pittman, H. (1994). The glazed steatite glyptic style. Berlin: Dietrich Reimer Verlag.
- Quenet, P. (2007). Un sceau-cylindre inédit de Tell Khuera (Syrie du Nord) et sa place au sein de la glyptique géométrique du Bronze ancien en Mésopotamie. Revue d'assyriologie et d'archéologie orientale, 101(1): 3–34.
- Sürenhagen, D. (1986). The dry-farming belt: The Uruk period and subsequent developments. M. Weiss (Der.), Hinterland of cities: A symposium on the early history of the ancient Near East : içinde 7–43. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Sürenhagen, D. (1990). Ausgrabungen in Tall Mulla Matar 1989. Mitteilungen der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft, 122: 125–152.
- Teissier, B. (1987). Glyptic evidence fora connection between Iran, Syro-Palestine and Egypt in the fourth and third millennia. Iran 25: 27-53.
- Thompson, C. T., ve Mallowan, M. E. L. (1933). The British Museum excavations at Nineveh. AAA, 20: 71–186.
- Wiseman, D.J. (1977). Cylinder Seals of Western Asia. London: Batchworth.
Öz
Mühürler, Mezopotamya ve çevresindeki medeniyetlerde idari, ticari ve sosyal işlevlere sahip önemli nesnelerdir. M.Ö. 3. binyılda Suriye’de geometrik desenli silindir mühürlerin yaygınlaşması, bu mühürlerin Mezopotamya etkisi altında geliştiğini ancak zamanla yerel bir üslup kazandığını göstermektedir. Bu çalışma, Mezopotamya mühür geleneğinin Suriye silindir mühürleri üzerindeki etkisini ve özellikle Susa, Ebla ve Mısır'a uzanan ticaret ağları aracılığıyla nasıl yayıldığını incelemektedir.
Tell Brak, Halep ve Alalakh gibi merkezlerde bulunan mühürler incelenerek, geometrik desenlerin Mezopotamya mühürlerinden nasıl farklılaştığı ve bölgesel çeşitliliğin nasıl şekillendiği analiz edilmiştir. Çalışma, bu mühürlerin yalnızca idari ve ticari amaçlarla değil, aynı zamanda sosyal statü, kimlik ve ritüel pratiklerde işlev gördüğünü ortaya koymaktadır. Geometrik desenler, mühürlerin ticari belgelerde kullanımını kolaylaştıran basit motiflerden, statü ve kimliği vurgulayan daha karmaşık süslemelere kadar çeşitlilik göstermektedir.
Suriye silindir mühürleri, Mezopotamya etkisi taşımakla birlikte, yerel sanatçılar tarafından yeniden yorumlanmış ve bölgesel sanat anlayışına uygun özgün bir mühürleme geleneği geliştirilmiştir. Geometrik desenlerin kullanımı, yalnızca Mezopotamya etkisinin bir uzantısı değil, aynı zamanda bölgesel sanat anlayışının bir yansımasıdır.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Silindir mühür Suriye gliptiği geometrik desenler ticaret bölgesel farklılıklar.
Kaynakça
- Amiet, P. (1963). La glyptique syrienne archaique. Syria, 40: 57–83.
- Aruz, J. (2003). Art of the first cities: The third millennium B.C. from the Mediterranean to the Indus. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Ben-Tor, A. (1994). Early Bronze Age cylinder seal impressions and a stamp seal from Tel Qashish. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 295 :15–29.
- Braidwood, R. J., ve Braidwood, L. (1960). Excavations in the Plain of Antioch I: The earlier assemblages, Phases A-J (OIP Vol. LXI). Chicago: The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.
- Boese, J. (1991). Eine Gefäßscherbe mit Siegelabrollung und Ritzzeichnung aus Ğamseddin. J.-W. Meyer ( Der.), Ausgrabungen in Šamseddin und Djerniye: Gräber des 3. Jahrtausends v. Chr. im syrischen Euphrattal 3 (Schriften zur vorderasiatischen Archäologie 3) : içinde 107–117. Saarbrücken: SDV.
- Collon, D. (1982). The Alalakh cylinder seals: A new catalogue of the actual seals excavated by Sir Leonard Woolley at Tell Atchana, and from neighbouring sites on the Syrian-Turkish border (B.A.R. International Series, 132). Oxford: British Archaeological Reports.
- Collon, D. (1990). Interpreting the past: Near Eastern seals. London: University of California Press.
- Collon, D. (2005). First impressions: cylinder seals in the ancient Near East. London: British Museum Press.
- Collon, D., ve Reade, J. (1983). Archaic Nineveh. BaM, 14: 33–41.
- Darga, A. M. (1992). Hitit sanatı. İstanbul: Akbank Kültür Yayınları.
- Matthews, D. M. (1997). The early glyptic of Tell Brak: cylinder seals of the third millennium Syria. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
- Matthews, R. J. (1992). Defining the style of the period: Jemdet Nasr 1926–28. Iraq, 54: 1–34.
- Mazzoni, S. (1984). Seal-impressions on jars from Ebla in EB IVA-B. Akkadica, 37: 18–45.
- Mazzoni, S. (1993). Cylinder seal impressions on jars at Ebla: new evidence. M. J. Mellink ve E. Porada (Der.), Aspects of art and iconography: Anatolia and its neighbours. Studies in honor of Nimet Özgüç: içinde 399–414. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.
- Özkan, S. (2022). Eski Anadolu’da mühür sanatı. Ankara: Akademisyen Kitabevi.
- Pittman, H. (1994). The glazed steatite glyptic style. Berlin: Dietrich Reimer Verlag.
- Quenet, P. (2007). Un sceau-cylindre inédit de Tell Khuera (Syrie du Nord) et sa place au sein de la glyptique géométrique du Bronze ancien en Mésopotamie. Revue d'assyriologie et d'archéologie orientale, 101(1): 3–34.
- Sürenhagen, D. (1986). The dry-farming belt: The Uruk period and subsequent developments. M. Weiss (Der.), Hinterland of cities: A symposium on the early history of the ancient Near East : içinde 7–43. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Sürenhagen, D. (1990). Ausgrabungen in Tall Mulla Matar 1989. Mitteilungen der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft, 122: 125–152.
- Teissier, B. (1987). Glyptic evidence fora connection between Iran, Syro-Palestine and Egypt in the fourth and third millennia. Iran 25: 27-53.
- Thompson, C. T., ve Mallowan, M. E. L. (1933). The British Museum excavations at Nineveh. AAA, 20: 71–186.
- Wiseman, D.J. (1977). Cylinder Seals of Western Asia. London: Batchworth.
Ayrıntılar
| Birincil Dil | Türkçe |
|---|---|
| Konular | Genel Türk Tarihi (Diğer) |
| Bölüm | Makaleler |
| Yazarlar | |
| Erken Görünüm Tarihi | 20 Haziran 2025 |
| Yayımlanma Tarihi | |
| Gönderilme Tarihi | 14 Nisan 2025 |
| Kabul Tarihi | 11 Mayıs 2025 |
| Yayımlandığı Sayı | Yıl 2025 Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1 |
Dergimizde yayımlanan tüm makaleler Creative Commons Atıf 4.0 Uluslararası Lisansı ile lisanslanmıştır.