TheoriginofChinesesealsremainsobscureinmodernresearch.Mostpublications,influencedbythetraditionalpointofview,havedealtwiththesealshandeddownfromtheEasternZhou(771-256B.C.).Onlyafewstudieshavediscussedsealsfromtheirearliest-andstillneglected-history.Therehaveevenbeensomesuggestions,basedontheideaofusingasealandusingitonclayfirstdevelopedinMesopotamia,thatthesealwasintroducedtoChinafromtheNearEast.ThisproposedforeignoriginmakesthehistoryofChinesesealsmorecomplicated.
