Seal Search User Guide

The seal search function has been designed to allow several methods to search and navigate through the Sasanian Seal Collection and display the seal images. The search criteria were designed to match the primary catalog categories of the seals. The different navigation methods were designed so that each search criteria would allow users to browse one of the three image types: impressions, seal face, and seal profile.

To use the Sasanian Seal Search:

• Choose one of the primary search catagories from the main menu:
  • catalog theme
  • seal shape
  • seal material
  • inscription type
• Please choose an item from the drop down list for this category.
  
  
  
  
• If you are familiar with the Gans Seal Collection you may instead enter a specific UC Berkeley catalog number in the Lookup box. (for example 10.a.01).

• Each primary search provides different secondary search and browse screens
  
  • Theme provides a secondary search by motif, then displays seal impression images, Berkeley numbers, descriptions and inscriptions data.
  • Shape leads to a secondary search by material then displays seal profile images, Berkeley numbers, color translucency, and wear data.
  • Material provides a secondary search by shape, then displays the browse menu with images of the seal face, Berkeley numbers, color, and wear.
  • Inscription directly displays the browse menu with image of the seal impressions, Berkeley numbers, description, and inscription.
  
  
  
  
• Clicking on the thumbnail image in the browse menu (even if it indicates that no image is available), navigates to a complete catalog record for each seal which displays:
  
  • The Seal description

  • Three thumbnail images: seal image, impression image and profile image
    

  Browse menu displays seal description, thumbnail image, Berkeley number. Click on a thumbnail image to get the catalog record.	Catalog record displays three thumbnail images and detailed information of the seal.

• Clicking on a thumbnail in the catalog record displays a full screen view of the image.