Creating Mesopotamian Cylinder Seals

Looking to integrate historical learning into your art lessons? Creating your own Mesopotamian style Cylinder Seal is a perfect way to do this. Cylinder seals were impression stamps, often quite intricate in design, used throughout Mesopotamia. They were known as kishib in Sumerian and kunukku in Akkadian and were used by everyone, from royals to slaves, in business transactions and for correspondence.

To create your own cylinder seal, create a textured surface onto a cylinder form (a pringles or toilet roll tube is ideal) or create a flat stamp form to work onto. To create your texture there are a wide range of mixed media techniques you can try. Start by collaging with paper and cardboard, you can then add small objects with interesting textures like beads, string and rice.

Once you have created your textured cylinder stamp; roll out a slab of clay so it is a flat, even surface. From there you can then have lots of fun pressing and rolling your stamp into the clay to create your own personalised plaque!