A section of tomb wall with a central register of eight rectangular panels each containing hieroglyphs naming offerings for the deceased; the top and bottom groups of eight rectangular panels each contain a depiction of a kneeling offering-bearer; all carved in high-relief; mounted on a custom-made display stand.

The vessel with integral round-section upward-facing handles, a third, round-section handle placed vertically between shoulder and upper neck to rear; laurel sprigs to the neck with traces of gilding; combat scene with Amazons (and Trojans?) below, armed with short swords and crescent shields, most wearing an exomis leaving the shoulder and one breast uncovered; volute palmettes below both side-handles, a panel of tiered and swirling volutes to the rear, all on a band of egg-moulding, repeated around the rim; possibly Apulian or Campanian; restored.

Composed of a shallow bowl and broad flange rim, two integral scalloped handles with scrolled flourishes, tapering to a loop handle with swan head terminals each with incised eye and beak detailing; perforated whirl within roundel to interior base; accompanied by a custom-made display stand.

Modelled in the round with a fragment of stand to the rear; the figure carefully carved to exhibit the delicate facial features and elaborate hairstyle; the palla drawn up over the head and falling over the shoulders to the upper arms; a diadem to the brow with foliage and tendril detailing; elaborate earrings with dangles; necklace of fusiform and tubular beads and a longer one below with piriform plaques; large disc brooch to the left breast with dangles; peplos-style dress draped across the body beneath the palla; left arm bent and hand passing across the body to grasp the hem of the palla with a herringbone bracelet at the wrist; the palla displayed pinned with rosettes to the rear panel; with inscription of thirteen Palmyrene characters above the left shoulder 'NRW' // BRT // 'QM' // ḤBL' meaning 'daughter of Aqima'; traces of red and green pigment; mounted on a custom-made stand by Colin Bowles Ltd.

In a rectangular matrix; cream, olive, pink and other tesserae depicting a bird advancing with head bowed, with banded frame.

Modelled naturalistically in the round, directing his gaze upwards left, the eyes with sculpted pupils originally decorated with stone insertions, his face framed by voluminous short curls swept up off the forehead, sideburns and a moustache.

In a rectangular matrix; cream, olive, pink and other tesserae depicting a perching bird with rosette above.

Divided into six sections by Christogram letters chi and rho, two of the segments with Greek letters alpha and omega, the other four segments with floral ornaments; a laurel wreath to the edge; mounted on a custom-made display stand.

Written across two principal faces and three side edges, reading: 1-2) Say to Zakur-ahum, thus says Uzazza, your brother. 3) I have read the tablet you sent me. You wrote to me as follows: 4-5)'Five nomadic Suteans plundered the district of Zippat and I sent a troop. 6-7) I drove them back. I prevented them from taking anything. 7-8) So this troop left empty-handed. It is to be feared that they will go to the land of Arrapha and raise havoc, take action!' 11) This is what you wrote to me, and I rejoiced greatly. 12) In your tablet is written:'500 nomadic Suteans'. 13) Now, your servants whom you sent to me told me this: 14) 'A troop of 1,500 men has come. 15) Among them were many men with bows.'16 This is what they told me. Now never 17) have there been archers among the nomad-Suteans. 18) Is it not to be feared that the heavily-equipped 19) part of a foreign army is here itself comprising the nomad-Suteans with their bows? 20) The (result of the) divination I found said: 'Fire will devour the base of the reed.' 21) [...] its ... will not reach me. 22-23) [Now], shall I rejoice over the heavily equipped troop (that is) there? 24) [...]. 25-26) Now investigate this troop. 26-27) Send a full report urgently one way or the other, 28-29) so that I may circulate [a swift messenger] so that 29-30) the whole country may be gathered [in my fortresses] and so that I may take action. 31-33) Moreover, earlier, nomadic Suteans assaulted the palace cowherds one evening and 33-34) carried away all the cows from the palace. They left nothing behind. 35-36) There are none left, including the cows they had been entrusted with that evening. The next day, 37) a rescue troop (sent) by Ašrum, in pursuit of them 38) went as far as the banks of the Euphrates, but 39 returned empty-handed. 39) Another thing, 40) concerning what you wrote to me: 41-42) 'Looters set up a siege instrument- kalbanatum against a fortified farm and killed people. In addition, they carried off ten oxen. 43) And Ašrum went in there. Check that 44 their oxen no longer disappear.' This is what you wrote to me. 45-46) Now, shall I rejoice in this matter, or shall I [not] [...] them [...]. 47-48) Now, is there a plunderer who can plunder on my watch? Now, when I hear (about them) 49-50) and as soon as I send a message, do I not put them on the pal? No doubt 51-52) these people are foreigners, but you consider them to be Arrapha inhabitants! Now, precisely according to what you've written to me, 53-54) I'm going to send a fast messenger to the very interior of Arrapha and carry out a check. ; repaired.

Written over two faces; lentoid cross-section.

Matched pair of Samnite triangular breast and backplates, a suite of 'triple-disc' type, each with three repoussé panels with carinated rim, flat spandrel above and curved on the lower sides, with perforated edges to affix to a separate mail garment; rivetted loops to the shoulders for attachment of supporting straps, and similar lateral loops with portion of round-link chain in situ; mounted on a custom-made stand.

Montefortino helmet with bulbous domed skull and a plain crest knob with flattened top; plain and flat neck guard with thickened rim; the front with punched Latin inscription 'A N CFN'; the surface largely covered in marine encrustations; accompanied by a custom-made display stand.

Finely knapped lentoid-section dagger with lateral recesses and square butt; old collector's label '281'.

Long blade with small portion of cortex at the upper end, sharply tapering point with edges worked from both sides.

A slightly bent irregular bar of hacked gold with rectangular cross-section, showing evidence of compression and fracture to each end, some subtle transverse lines on both of the main surfaces.

The substantial heater-shaped plaque with spectacular openwork Urnes style design, the standing beast with entwined tendrils, pronounced head at the apex, narrow ledge to the reverse and rivet holes to each corner with two rivets remaining.

Of tubular form with flared rim and applied collar to the foot, applied trails to the sidewall and four rows of prunts with applied blue-glass ornament.

With a slender D-section hoop, bevelled rectangular cell set with a garnet cabochon; satellite settings at the corners, each with a green cabochon (one absent), the ring preserved in the same condition as it was when found.

With plain circular hoop and square diamond-shaped bezel with replicant natural diamond crystal.

Broadly rectangular in cross-section and constructed from two sheets of gold; the external hoop carrying an etched decorative design comprised of a row of eight-armed stars in relief with a prominent horizontal line connecting the stars; the internal hoop with Latin inscription in block capitals reading '+FORTES FORTVNA IVVAT' translating to 'fortune favours the brave/strong'; straightened.

Of hemispherical form with broad everted rim, shallow fluting to the lower body. 603 grams, 15 cm wide



Acquired 1990s-early 2000s. East Anglian private collection.

Comprising: one with long arms, loop terminal with two further loops to the sides; another with long arms and loop terminal, the side loop with another pair of smaller tweezers. 48 grams total, 14.5-15 cm



Acquired in the 1980s-1990s. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.

Two sheet gold domes flanking a tube of filigree loops and braided bands, ribbed collar above, granule cluster to each end. 0.79 grams, 15 mm



From a late Japanese specialist collector, 1970-2000s.

With a D-section hoop and expanding shoulders, the bezel with a facing nimbate angel with spread wings. 5.34 grams, 22.04 mm overall, 17.87 mm internal diameter (approximate size British P, USA 7 1/2, Europe 16.23, Japan 15)



From the collection of a High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK, gentleman, circa 2000.

With narrow, flat-bottomed hoop and tapering shoulders, inset garnet cabochon with 'globus cruciger' motif. 4.75 grams, 24.93 mm overall, 17.59 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M 1/2, USA 6 1/4, Europe 13.09, Japan 12)



Acquired on the German art market before 2000. Property of a Surrey, UK, collector.

The globus cruciger comprises a sphere surmounted by a cross potent, symbolising the domination of the world by Christianity.

Mixed group of barrel-shaped, biconvex and other trade weights, some with punched markings. 244 grams total, 18-25 mm



Ex Simmons Gallery, London E11, UK, in the 1990s. From a North London collection.

With a substantial keeled hoop with four panels of zig-zag motifs; triangular plaque with foliage motifs, raised central panel with frond motif. 22.81 grams, 34.44 mm overall, 21.06 mm internal diameter (approximate size British W 1/2, USA 11 1/4, Europe 25.66, Japan 24)



Acquired on the German art market before 2000. Property of a Surrey, UK, collector.

Conical with thick finial, short tubular neck and two thin lateral loop handles. 18.4 grams, 57 mm



Acquired on the UK art market in the 1990s. Property of a Stowmarket, UK, gentleman.

Piriform body with domed filler-hole, decorated with floral pattern on the shoulder; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 145 grams, 77 mm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'.

Apart from the use of siphons or manual flame-throwers called cheirosiphona, special corps of Roman soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.

With flat-section expanding hoop, scrolls and leaf motifs to shoulders; oval bezel with three lines of Greek inscription reciting Κ[ΥΡI]Ε ΒΟΗΘΗI ΑΗΑ (= Lord helps A...A). 4.30 grams, 21.70 mm overall, 19.70 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q, USA 8, Europe 17.49, Japan 16)



Acquired in the 1980s-1990s. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.

The inscription on the ring is the typical invocatory formula Kyrie boethei N., which calls directly upon the Lord for help; this form, beside the one calling the Virgin for help as well (Theotokos boethei), is common in the inscriptions of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Sheet gold dome with braided filigree band to the rim, three vertical bands and three cells each set with a garnet cabochon, collar to the apex. 2.13 grams, 22 mm



From a continental collection prior to 2000. Acquired on the UK art market in 2010. Property of a UK gentleman.

With a sub-circular filling hole enclosed within a vegetal border, striated handle to the rear and cross motif to base. 59 grams, 91 mm



Acquired in the 1980s-1990s. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.