Reimaging Mesopotamian Cylinder Seal Stories

Imagine for a moment that thousands of years in the future, finding a small item that tells you about people from a distant past. What could you learn about them? How did they understand the world around them? How did they present themselves? What do the symbols mean?

Our latest Creative Roots workshop was centred upon learning about the ancient Mesopotamians through their cylinder seals, exploring how they saw the world around them and how similar such projections of identity were relatable to us today. A workshop centred on a guided walk through the history of Mesopotamian iconography was supported by working with one of the few Iraqi craftsmen who continues to reinvent cylinder seals for a modern audience.

Our participants were from a variety of backgrounds and had travelled from across the central Iraqi regions to join us in Baghdad to delve deeper into the meanings of some of the earliest form of writing - decoding the symbols to explore any similarities between our world and the ancient past. After getting to know each other, participants were presented with a visual workbook to explore the evolution of the cylinder seal - from its invention in its Sumerian form to the highly detailed and intricate messages of power in the later Neo-Assyrian period, participants joined in tasks to recreate, reimagine, and interpret the voices of the ancient past. Project coordinators Ali Raad and Mohammed Sobhe showcased visual examples of the ancient seals before looking at the role they played in some of Iraq’s finest public art that now takes pride of place in many of Baghdad’s public squares. The session explored how images connected to ancient Mesopotamian myths and legends where iconic beasts and gods duelled, where legendary heroes went on quests, and how its people looked up to the skies, worked the land, and built their houses.

Creative Roots is all about connecting communities with creators, and we were delighted to introduce one of Iraq’s last cylinder seal makers. Muhanned Raad was the creative leader for the session after having worked on creating modern interpretations of cylinder seals that timelessly blend both ancient and modern Iraq. Having presented at multiple exhibitions with his work, Muhanned is keen to keep the importance of Iraq’s heritage accessible for more Iraqi creatives, and anyone who seeks to explore the past. Guiding the participants through the creative processes involved in sketching and designing ideas, Muhanned and the Creative Roots team worked with the participants to create an image that connected to identity and memory. It is inspiring to see participants such as Yasin, who has founded his own enterprise, ‘Sipar,’ that uses Mesopotamian-inspired heritage to create clay products, and with exciting new businesses in development right now!

Before long, clay imprints were being produced in the spirit of Mesopotamia but with a modern twist: tales of a Baghdadi childhood delicately etched into the cylinders before being rolled out to leave a story on a clay tablet, or retelling of ‘Dune’ through symbols that could be interpreted by those who read it. Working with clay seemed the most appropriate form of artwork, as a true homage to those who did so thousands of years ago. As the clay dried, the participants discussed their work and interpreted their meanings. The holistic activity aimed to connect modern Baghdadi audiences with their own experiences, but when asked if cylinder seals existed 4000 years in the future that represented Iraq today, 70% of responses seemed to reflect the pollution, traffic, and challenging societal issues in contrast to those who looked towards iconic architecture, palm trees, love, and diversity. 

Whilst such an outlook may seem a current theme that reflects Iraq’s recent history, a deeper look at the archaeological record highlights the prevalence of chaos in Mesopotamian society, and what must be done to preserve order and prosperity. The desire for current creators to also explore the world around them clearly has a deep connection to the ancient past. 

The next session will see us collaborating with another creative organisation to explore the tales of 1001 Nights, so stay tuned very soon for the call for applications. Creative Roots is part of the TARII Heritage Grant Program with funding from the JM Kaplan Foundation and implemented in collaboration with Creative Iraq. The Creative Roots team would also like to thank Dr Luma for supporting this workshop and appreciate her assistance.