SAEDNEWS: In the seal’s design, the person’s arms are extended in a defensive gesture toward two monsters. Typically, in scenes depicting a hero battling two monsters, both creatures are of the same type. However, in this seal, the two monsters are distinctly different.
According to the History and Culture Service of Saed News, the seal depicted below shows a central figure—either a hero or a king—dressed in Persian attire, with a pointed beard and hair. On either side of this figure, alongside the seal image, is an inscription in Aramaic that reads: “Seal of Parshandata, son of Artadata.” The father’s name, Artadata, means “given and granted by Arta (Truth),” similar to the modern Persian name Khodadad. The son’s name appears as Prshndt in the Book of Esther in the Old Testament and was traditionally pronounced Parshandata.
In the seal, the figure’s arms are extended protectively toward two creatures. In scenes of heroes battling two monsters, both monsters are typically of the same kind. However, in this seal, the two creatures are different. On the left, there is a winged, bull-like creature with a human face, rearing up on its hind legs—an image reminiscent of the reliefs on the gates of Persepolis. The creature on the right is also winged but has donkey-like ears, a style of ears more characteristic of earlier art from Neo-Assyria or Neo-Babylon.
