Trial Pieces

This category includes seals that do not have a decoration inscribed into them. These are seals being prepped for becoming cylinder seals, but for some reason were discarded. They might have light etchings of designs, but nothing that would leave an impression.

Objects: Trial Pieces Export: JSON - XML - CSV

U Number	Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number)	Museum Number (BM Registration Number)	Museum Number (UPM B-number)	Description (Catalog Card)
12036	(none)	(none)	(none)	Cylinder hematite. Intended for a seal but left uncut and only one end bored.
16927A	(none)	1931,1010.11	(none)	Group: objects found together and belonging to a manufacturer of cylinder seals. (A) Limestone fragment, a trial piece with first sketches of 3 standing figures; (B) Limestone fragment, a trial piece with one standing figure nearly finished; (C) Uncut and unpierced cylinders of shell, steatite and limestone; (D) Unfinished beads of rock crystal; (E) Part of an eye of a statue; etc. (F) Limestone fragment a trial piece with the lower parts of 2 standing nude male figures (this was brought in separately, cf. U.16994) (G) Square of red limestone, sculptors trial pieces with unfinished figures of man and dog. [These objects were relettered on the card as follows: C=E, D=F, E=G, F=C, and G=D. Entries in this database, however, follow original lettering]
16927B	(none)	1931,1010.10	(none)	Group: objects found together and belonging to a manufacturer of cylinder seals. (A) Limestone fragment, a trial piece with first sketches of 3 standing figures; (B) Limestone fragment, a trial piece with one standing figure nearly finished; (C) Uncut and unpierced cylinders of shell, steatite and limestone; (D) Unfinished beads of rock crystal; (E) Part of an eye of a statue; etc. (F) Limestone fragment a trial piece with the lower parts of 2 standing nude male figures (this was brought in separately, cf. U.16994) (G) Square of red limestone, sculptors trial pieces with unfinished figures of man and dog. [These objects were relettered on the card as follows: C=E, D=F, E=G, F=C, and G=D. Entries in this database, however, follow original lettering]
16928	(none)	(none)	(none)	Limestone fragment. Jewel-smiths trial piece: a sketch for a cylinder seal: a seated god and introducer and suppliant: roughly worked out design. Possibly from the same source as U.16927, but this is not known.
16994A	(none)	(none)	(none)	Sculptor's trial pieces. (A) Limestone fragment with unfinished engraving of a seated figure : very roughly cut : might well be a study for a cylinder seal. (B) Limestone fragment. Standing figure of a nude man; head and arms broken away : shallow but fairly good work.
16994B	(none)	(none)	(none)	Sculptor's trial pieces. (A) Limestone fragment with unfinished engraving of a seated figure : very roughly cut : might well be a study for a cylinder seal. (B) Limestone fragment. Standing figure of a nude man; head and arms broken away : shallow but fairly good work.
17824	(none)	(none)	(none)	Sculptor's trial piece. On a fragment of white limestone. Sketch for seated god; for a cylinder seal.
18307	(none)	1933,1013.235	(none)	Jeweller's trial piece. Fragment of a large pot of of light drab clay on which is roughly scratched the design for a cylinder seal. Subject: seated god and standing god introducing a man behind whom is an ostrich (?).
18492	(none)	(none)	(none)	Engraver's trial piece. Fragmnet of light drab pottery, whereon rudely incised after firing a seated god, crescent, standing figure? Etc. [CARD MISSING Typed Transcription from British Museum Card]
20053	(none)	(none)	(none)	Trial piece. Fragment of white marble vase on which a gem-cutter's sketch for a seated figure of a goddess. On the reverse, another similar figure and some cuneiform signs.
6607	(none)	(none)	(none)	Stone fragment. Pink engraved. Trial piece on conventional subjects. On one side above unfinished seated god, below seated god left hand extended and holding [reference to drawing] shaped object. At feet corn sheaf. On the other side unfinished standing figures. B.