Anglo-Saxon Iron Socketed Spearhead

Lentoid-section leaf-shaped blade with slender neck and long closed socket; Swanton's Group D1. 190 grams, 26 cm



Found near Wetwang, East Yorkshire, UK. Acquired circa 2005. Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK.

A small number of leaf-shaped blades measuring between some 16 and 28 cm in length are similar to the smaller leaf-shaped pieces of the Swanton series C, except that they tend to be more slender overall. The socket is always narrowly split up its entire length.

Piriform body with zigzag band to the equator and impressed roundels to the shoulder, tiered neck, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 650 grams, 13.3 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.

Comprising a pair of curved iron bars linked at the centre, loop at each outer end attached to a substantial flat-section ring with lateral lug pierced to accept a strap. 377 grams, 26 cm



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