Some of the best preserved depictions of mythical events can be found on cylinder seals. They were tiny, amulet-like cylinders that were used in much the same way ring seals were used in Roman and later times. Since visual representation was believed to be a very powerful tool, the depictions alone of mythological events and mighty deities was believed to be enough to ward off evil demons or bring the wearer under the protection of his/her personal deity. They also served a more practical purpose: personal identity. Each individual family had their own seal, and individual family member, in turn, might have had different seals (TIME). *captions, unless otherwise stated, are mine*

Another Cylinder Seal at the left. It's impression on wet clay is below.