Carved in the half-round in three-quarter view, youthful male head with stern features, hair gathered in a browband, horns to the brow; from a frieze or relief; mounted on a custom-made stand.

Carved in the round with thick wreath of laurel leaves to the brow, short tousled hair, stern face with thick jaw; mounted on a custom-made stand.

Standing contrapposto with his weight on his right leg and the left leg brought slightly forward; the musculature of the torso displaying well-defined pectoral muscles, prominent abdominal muscles and wide shoulders, the back with equally toned musculature and well-formed rounded buttocks; the veining of the marble accentuating the idealised anatomy; the now-absent head was most probably turned towards the supporting leg and the left arm would have been raised; mounted on a custom-made display stand.

A high-status green chalcedony seal with frieze depicting a seated figure in horned headdress facing a standing figure with arms outstretched, small monkey to the legs; six columns of Akkadian cuneiform text transliterated as: 1. ki-di-nu UGULA KUŠ-MEŠ 2. GAL šà tan-dru-hu- 3. ra-te-er EŠŠANA šu-ši 4. u an-za-an ARAD 5. šà dha-te-ri-iš 6. šak(?) ì-lí-šu 'Kidinu, chief overseer of the equerries(?) of Tan-Ruhurater, King of Susa and Anzan, servant of Haterishshak, his god'. The seal's owner was an official of King Tan-Ruhurater II (circa 1450 B.C.), king of Susa and Anzan. The title used to describe Kidinu is sometimes translated 'high official', elsewhere 'horse groom' or 'animal trainer'; the Elamite deity Haterish is otherwise unknown.

A substantial torch bearer depicting a male lion or panther standing with legs firmly planted on a rectangular base, tail extending to the ground, with a massive circular shaped armature or candelabra issuing from its back and wearing an elaborate muzzle, the eyes retaining shell inlay with a circular hollow for the pupils; to the right of the beast a kneeling nude male wearing a large belt-armour and a diadem, eyes inlaid, left hand extended to the side and holding the lion's leash.

Triangular in section with barbed blades and shallow socket. 1.5 grams, 32 mm



Acquired from Red House Antiques, York, UK, in 2008. Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK.

Lanceolate in profile with split socket. 16.8 grams, 99 mm



Acquired prior to 2000. Ex Private collection, Cambridgeshire, UK. Property of a Kent lady collector.

Piriform body with thick ribs to the shoulder and impressed knotwork panels between, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 610 grams, 17.2 cm



From the H.N. collection, Milton Keynes, Berkshire, UK, 1990s.

The shape corresponds with a fire grenade in the Kars Museum, no.14.09.2009. 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 broad curved blade and short spur behind the chin, narrow neck, deep socket with square-section hammer to the reverse. 588 grams, 15.5 cm



From the collection of a Californian, USA, gentleman, dating back to the late 1960s.

With triangular section narrow blade widening to a broad bevelled edge with square chin, lateral flanges to the socket. 758 grams, 18.5 cm



From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.

The axe belongs to a category of bearded axes. The skeggöks (bearded axes) had a long edge, designed to split tree-trunks into planks and beams. Usually the beard was at the bottom end of the blade, but some axes did sometimes have extra long blades.

Matched pair each with strap-slots to each end of the yoke, curved neck with seven-pointed rowel. 178 grams total, 13.5 cm each



Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.

Double-edge axehead with flared blades, knops flanking the socket, pyramidal spurs. 222 grams, 10.8 cm



Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.

Triangular in plan, terminating in an exaggerated curving point; the outer face pierced towards the top and with a raised midrib; the convex interior possibly containing fragmentary remains of a weapon. 355 grams, 56 cm



From a Japanese collection, 1990s.

Scabbards with a curve at their base are shown on reliefs and seals from Anatolia from the middle of the second millennium to the 9th century B.C.

With pyramidal point, square-section shaft, tubular socket and heater shield displaying a lion passant maker's mark. 46.2 grams, 73 mm



Tucker collection, Buckinghamshire, UK; formed in the 1980s. Property of a Kent lady collector.

With pyramidal point, square-section shaft, tubular socket and amphora-shaped maker's mark. 35.4 grams, 72 mm



Tucker collection, Buckinghamshire, UK; formed in the 1980s. Property of a Kent lady collector.

Piriform body with vertical ribs, tiered collar, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 435 grams, 16.5 cm



From a specialist collection of militaria, London, UK, collected 1990s onwards.

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.

Piriform body with band of impressed rosettes to the equator, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 547 grams, 12.1 cm



From a specialist collection of militaria, London, UK, collected 1990s onwards. 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.