How did Old Assyrian seal impressions preserve religious symbols from Anatolia?

Old Assyrian seal impressions preserved Anatolian religious symbols by serving as a medium for a new and elaborate system of iconography that developed during the period of Assyrian trading outposts (kārum) in Anatolia.1

Although the associated Old Assyrian tablets focused exclusively on commercial matters, the seals used to authenticate these documents featured a distinct repertoire of religious imagery. This system depicted a complex pantheon of deities, including both Mesopotamian figures and native Anatolian gods, distinguished by their specific dress, attendant animals, weapons, and ritual actions.12

Common motifs preserved in these impressions include:
* Weather gods: Frequently associated with bulls, sometimes depicted with rain falling above them or with an enigmatic pyramid on the bull's back.1
* Divine figures: Representations of war gods, hunting gods, and goddesses enthroned or standing on animals.1
* Ritual scenes: Depictions of deities receiving offerings.1

This figurative symbolism provided clear evidence of an indigenous Anatolian culture that persisted through economic and political changes, eventually reaching maturity in the art of the Hittites.13