History of the Embossing Stamp: Part 1 Nature as the Stamp Maker The First Documented Embossing Stamp

History of the Embossing Stamp

Did you know that the likely first embossing stamp was a seashell?

In Dafuna, Nigeria, near the present-day Lake Chad, pottery dating back over 9000 years was discovered with an impressed pattern, also known as an imprint pattern. The shells of heart-shaped clams were pressed into the soft clay to create a pattern, likely imitating a woven basket. Starting from around 6000 BCE, such impressed patterns can also be found in areas of modern-day Greece, the Adriatic region, and Southern Italy.

You can learn more about the history of embossing stamps on our blog.