British Leather Ammunition Pouch Belt

Leaf-shaped blade with pronounced midrib, square-section neck with flared ends and thick square-section tang. 299 grams, 26.7 cm



Ex German collection, Cologne, 1980-1990s.

The spearhead belongs to the type I of tripartite spears with broad mid-rib, reinforced shaft opening to reveal the tang and rounded shoulders. The blade with curved shoulders, a sharp point and a rectangular mid-rib. Stutzinger dated these pieces to 1200-1100 B.C.

Pear-shaped ceramic vessel with domed filler-hole, circumferential impressed bands to the shoulder and equator; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 490 grams, 15 cm



Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s. 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. Such were the γανωτα, vessels (sometimes also of bronze) used for Greek fire. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.

Formed with a slender triangular blade, raised midrib with flat upper face, penannular guard and scooped shoulders, columnar grip with two gusseted hoops, the upper half of the grip is decorated with vertical lines, the lower part with horizontal grooves, crescent pommel; short sword or dagger. 430 grams, 44 cm



Ex Alexander Cotton collection, Hampshire, UK 1980s.

This short sword or dagger belongs to the category of blades with pennanular guard, with hilt and guard cast in one piece with the grip. This solid weapon has separate sets of encircling ribs on the grip. Negahban excavated similar weapons from the Marlik cemeteries, although sometimes the type combines grip and penannular guard with flanged hilts open to accept inlays.