Symmetries in Images on Ancient Seals

摘要

We discuss the presence of symmetries in images engraved on ancient seals, inparticular on stamp seals. Used to stamp decorations, to secure the containersfrom tampering and for owner's identification, we can find seals that can bedated from Neolithic times. Earliest seals were engraved with lines, dots andspirals. Nevertheless, these very ancient stamp seals, in the small circular orovoid space of their bases, possess bilateral and rotational symmetries. Theshape of the base seems to determine the symmetries of images engraved on it.We will also discuss what could be the meaning of antisymmetry and brokensymmetry for images on seals.