seal BM-MAS.780

Period:Unknown Production date:2ndC BC(late)-2ndC(late) (circa)
Materials:wood
Technique:carved, pierced,

Dimensions:Height: 1.60 centimetres Width: 1.30 centimetres Depth: 0.70 centimetres

Description:
Wooden seal. On one side the small rectangular block-seal has two Chinese characters carved into it which Stein (1921, 778) identified as chang shou (長寿/ literally”prolonged old age”). On the other side, one additional character was carved which has not been completed. The seal is pierced transversely.
IMG


Comments:This is a bifacial seal with the carving on one side incomplete. On the other side, two characters in intaglio in seal script were carved. They were translated in the Stein record as 長壽 (longevity), however, I reckon they should be 善長 which was a title of an officer in the Western region in China during the late Han period. Stein, Serindia, p. 778, pl. LIII: “T.XIV.iii.17. Wooden ink-seal; small rectang. Block, pierced transversely, having face ½ inch sq., on which in angular seal writing are cut two Chin. chars. [chang shou] ch’ang shou = ‘prolonged old age’. On back, R. side occupied by char. apparently shou, ‘old age’, not fully completed. Cf. T.XXVII.15. Finely cut. H. 5/16 inch. Pl.LIII.”