In 1887, during a detailed excavation at the ancient Sumerian site of Sippar, located near the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq, a team from the Ottoman Imperial Museum uncovered a finely carved cylinder seal whose impression depicts fish-tailed divine beings swimming beside a stylized Tree of Life. Stratigraphic analysis and comparison with similar seals found in Uruk and Nippur place the artefact within the Middle ᴀssyrian to Neo-Babylonian period (ca. 1300–600 BCE). Although miniature in scale, the seal impression preserves mythological iconography with extraordinary clarity, allowing researchers to connect the imagery to Mesopotamian celestial intermediaries—most notably the Apkallu, semi-divine sages said to have emerged from the deep waters of the god Enki.

Microscopic analysis conducted at the British Museum revealed that the cylinder was carved from blue glazed steaтιтe, a soft metamorphic stone favored by Mesopotamian artisans for its workability and ability to retain precise details after firing. The glaze, enriched with copper-based pigments, gives the seal its characteristic turquoise hue. The negative carving—used to produce the raised image when rolled on clay—employs exceptionally fine lines, suggesting the use of copper burins and abrasive sand. The surface shows evidence of repeated handling, indicating that the seal likely served not only as a personal identifier but also as a protective talisman invoking divine intermediaries.

The imagery carved onto the seal follows a strict iconographic grammar common in Mesopotamian religious art. The two fish-tailed figures—each with human torsos, scaled tails, and elaborate headdresses—appear to be swimming in unison toward the Tree of Life, a symbol representing both cosmic order and the divine transmission of knowledge. The meticulous arrangement, with raised arms and forward movement, suggests a ritual act of offering or guidance. Scholars interpret the posture as indicative of Apkallu sages, beings sent by Enki to teach humanity craftsmanship, writing, and sacred law. The artisan who created the seal intentionally positioned them in a symmetrical, harmonious composition, evoking the concept of divine balance.

Cylinder seals served multiple purposes in ancient Mesopotamia—as administrative tools, personal identifiers, and magical objects woven into daily and religious life. The presence of fish-tailed Apkallu, combined with the Tree of Life, reveals that this seal likely had a protective or initiatory function, possibly belonging to a priest, a scholar, or an elite member involved in temple rituals. The Apkallu were venerated as guardians of civilization, capable of bestowing knowledge or averting misfortune. By rolling this seal onto clay tablets or storage jars, the owner symbolically invoked divine wisdom and protection. The mythological pairing of water-born sages and the cosmic tree encapsulates a worldview in which life, order, and divine communication flowed from the primordial waters.

The excavation team, led by archaeologist H. P. B. Lynch under the supervision of the Ottoman Antiquities Department, documented the seal with detailed field sketches and early pH๏τographic plates. Subsequent research by scholars such as Samuel Noah Kramer and Thorkild Jacobsen expanded the understanding of Apkallu iconography, linking the seal to broader Mesopotamian cosmological traditions. The artefact is now housed at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum, where ongoing studies using high-resolution imaging and 3D scanning continue to reveal new details of its craftsmanship. Today, the seal stands as one of the most evocative artefacts illustrating the connection between humans and divine intermediaries in the ancient Near East, offering invaluable insight into how early civilizations conceptualized knowledge, creation, and sacred order.