| a small carved cylinder used esp. by the ancient Mesopotamians to impress a design in wet clay. |
| Main Entry: | cylinder seal |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | a small barrel-shaped stone object engraved with a design, scene, or inscription which was impressed onto clay when the seal was rolled over tablet |
| Example: | People used cylinder seals to 'seal' ancient documents for about 3,000 years. |
| Usage: | archaeology |