“Belonging to Kemosh”

Triton XVII, Lot: 387. Estimate $5000. Sold for $8500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

JUDAEA, Bronze stamp seal of Kemosh (Chemosh). 7th century BC. Stamp seal, perforated for hanging on a string or chain, divided into three registers by two pairs of lines. The top register reads“kn” in Hebrew, followed by a star. The meaning of this is uncertain; however, the first letter may suggest the Hebrew word “kotemet” or “seal”. The second register reads “[belonging] to Kemosh” in Hebrew. The third and lowest register is empty. Height: 20mm. Dark green patina with earthen highlights. Portion of handle broken, otherwise in excellent condition.

The name Kemosh seems to be an abbreviated form of a theophoric name such as Kemoshʻam or Kemoshʻel. Kemosh (or Chemosh) is the name of the Moabite national god, and is mentioned on the Mesha Stone and in other Moabite inscriptions as well as in the Bible” (Num. 21:29; Jer. 48:7, 13, 46). (Hestrin and Dayagi-Mendels, Inscribed Seals First Temple Period [Israel Museum, Jerusalem 1979], No. 114, p. 144 which also describes another seal of Kemosh, in conical form made from alabaster).

Another Moabite seal of scaraboid form, in banded agate, containing the inscription “[belonging] to Benʻadnan son of Kemoshayashaʻ” has been published (Deutsch and Lemaire, Biblical Period Personal Seals in the Shlomo Moussaieff Collection [Archaeological Center Publications, Tel Aviv 2000], No. 194, p. 201).

Given the unusual form of this seal and the uncertain meaning of the two letters in the top register, one may consider the possibility that this was not a personal seal, but an official seal invoking the name of the Moabite god Kemosh.

CNG would like to thank David Hendin, who generously assisted with the identification of this seal based on photographs provided to him.