3rd-7th century AD. An agate plano-convex stamp seal with lateral piercing for suspension and an ellipsoidal face bearing the incuse design of a horse and rider standing, surrounded by inscription; accompanied by a museum-quality impression and a typed and signed scholarly note issued by Nicholas Sims-Williams, Professor of Iranian Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, which states: 'The inscription is written in the so-called 'Inscriptional Pahlavi' script. This is most characteristic of the early Sasanian period, but could also be used for formal purposes later in the Sasanian period. The text seems to read: 'prpzpkr' .y [gap] p........ At the beginning of the inscription (in front of the face) the letters are mostly well-formed, but towards the end they become more rudimentary and illegible. In view of this fact, and even more on the basis of the fact that the legible letters do not make up known or plausible words, I do not think that the inscription is meaningful. This does not necessarily imply that it is not genuine, since ancient objects are sometimes 'decorated' with pseudo-inscriptions, perhaps written by or for illiterate persons.' 5.1 grams, 17mm (3/4"). From the Empire collection, an important UK private collection of seals, acquired between 1980-1983; accompanied by a copy of a typed and signed scholarly note, by Nicholas Sims-Williams, Professor of Iranian Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.