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A World in Miniature

A World in Miniature: Creation, Cosmos, and Ecology on Seals from the Biblical Times

Since the dawn of civilization, seals have been widely used from Egypt, Babylonia, to Assyria and other surrounding nations. These seals, were stamps of a hard material such as crystal, stone, or metal with illustrations engraved onto the stone. The seals would cause impressions on wax, clay or any other soft substances, which were attached to documents to prove ownership, or authenticate documents. Today, we can learn so much more from these miniature objects then where they came from or who owned them. These intricate illustrations show abundance information on topics and themes that speak on the perspective of their world in that era. 

The themes Creation, Cosmology, and Ecology show us that life in the ancient times was not so secluded as it is assumed today, but instead has profuse dimensions and elements. Through these seals we can have a better understanding of what life in the ancient world entailed. Mainly the public will be able to look into the daily life, religions, traditions of the ancient people through the seals. From Egypt to Mesopotamia, cosmopolitan worldviews—where chaos leads to creation, and animal-human hybrids take the form of deities—are consistently found in stark contrast to the creation and cosmological accounts found in the Bible.

This exhibit brings together approximately 65 ancient seals and artifacts from the Yale Babylonian Collection at Yale University, the Siegfried H. Horn Archaeological Museum at Andrews University, and the Badè Museum at Pacific School of Religion. These intricately carved objects reflect how ancient cultures during biblical times understood existential questions of origins, worldview, and their relationship with the natural environment. This exhibition will be on display from September 13, 2016 to April 26, 2019.

An example of a cylinder seal.