A View Into Time and Design: Stamp and date here please.

Akkadian, about 2250 BC

The early development of visual communication of man is surely an in-depth and interesting one. But, one of my main interests delves directly in to the creation of personal identities and how different civilizations of early Eastern and Western worlds tackled this problem. In today’s world, an individual simply put’s their signed signature on pieces of paper to signify ownership or approval of something. Yet, to make a signed piece a paper legally binding, it needs to be notarized or, more simply put, stamped by a notary official.

Uratian, 8th century BC

The idea of stamping something to signify ownership or approval is not a new one and in fact predates back to 3500 BC. Both, developing Western and Eastern civilizations created certain systems of stamping. Early Mesopotamians created a stamp-cylinder seal to imprint into clay as China developed a relief printing stamp using cinnabar ink called a chop.

Stamp-cylinder seals were originally carved in stone with an image around and on the bottom of the cylinder that could be depressed in clay, and was often used as a stamp to certify documents and provide a way to prevent forgery (Meggs). The use of these cylinder seals continued until 300 BC (The British Musem).

Chinese Bronze Chop

Similarly, the Chinese developed the chop, a relief print usually carved into jade or ivory, during the third century to use as a way to certify a documents as well as art works (Meggs). They often served as a simpler way of a signature due to the complex nature of the written Chinese language. Chops are still used today.

But stamps and seals continued to evolve from the two originals. Egyptian scarabs containing the the cartouche and hieroglyphic carvings were often a seal of he owner and worn as signet ring Meggs. The signet rings had the ability to leave an impression having the same ability to endorse legal documents. "Herodotus (I, 195) mentions that everyone in Babylonia carried a seal, and the same remark would apply with equal truth to Egypt" (Newberry).

		Egypt, New Kingdom, Dynasty 18
		1570 BC–1298 BC

Lost Colony Signet Ring, 1585

Signets transcended time. The Lost Colony Signet ring was discovered by David S. Phelps of East Carolina University in 1998 and dates back to back to 1585 (East Carolina University). This evidence shows the signet ring was used throughout the Medieval period. They were used in wax seals on legal documents and on letter envelopes.

Seals and stamps are still used today to show a legal binding document. If you have ever had to get a document notarized you should see a stamp similar to the one below.