105 - Seal cylinder, Babylon, 2000–1600 B.C.

Seal cylinder, Babylon, 2000–1600 B.C. Hematite. Provenance: G. Elías Private Collection. Measurements: 3 x 1 cm; 2.5 x 5 x 3 cm (base). Provenance: Family bequest from Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Archaeological collection assembled beginning in the 1950s by successive generations of the family through acquisitions at European galleries and auction houses. It previously belonged to the G. Elías private collection. When Babylon became the political center of the Euphrates Valley during the time of Hammurabi (18th century B.C.), Babylonian society began to rise in status and sophistication, a position it fully attained in the second half of the second millennium. During late antiquity, numerous objects and instruments of a magical-religious nature were produced in this region, related to rituals that sought to control demonic forces. Contemporary texts reveal a conceptual blend that combines elements from the Bible, popular Jewish traditions, Hellenistic esoteric traditions, and Mesopotamian religions, seeking to bring together the most powerful rituals and ideas from each tradition in order to increase the effectiveness of the struggle against the forces of evil spirits.