Byzantine Bronze Archer's Thumb Ring

Biconical body with rounded base and domed filler hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 502 grams, 97 mm



Ex important collection of weaponry, London, UK, 1980-1990s. 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. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια, where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.

Broad and squat with carination to the exterior face, and a broad foot ring; cream glaze with sgraffito design of a delineated falcon in profile, surrounded by leafy branches and holding one of the branches in its hooked beak. 1.04 kg, 26.3 cm



Private collection (L.v.L.), Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany, acquired between 1960s-1980s.

In the Byzantine Empire, and even more so in the Islamic world, hunting falcons were a symbol of wealth and high status. The spectrum of designs in which they are to be found on 12th-century Byzantine pottery, in particular, offers a forceful testament both to the cultural reach of such vessels during the period and to the skill of the potters who were able to produce large numbers of beautifully worked slipware vessels destined for marine trade. The present example is likely to have been discovered in the late 1960's, when it is thought a 12th-century shipwreck laden with slipware vessels was excavated off the coast of Izmir.

Square-section hoop from black glass with orange, yellow and blue bands to the outer face. 60.3 grams, 95 mm



From the collection of a gentleman born in the late 19th century, formed 1940s-1970s. From an old Staffordshire family collection; thence by descent.