Byzantine Bronze Artefact Collection

Discoid foil mount with beaded wire rim and two loops to the reverse; repoussé bust of Mary with 'M' above. 1.45 grams, 25 mm



UK private collection before 2000. Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a London gentleman.

Piriform body with domed filler-hole, segmented bands radiating from the filler hole interspersed with bands of impressed pellets; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 414 grams, 10.4 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.

Capsule-shaped with openwork filigree ornament to the equator, a single granule to each terminal and a coiled wire suspension loop to apex. 0.82 grams, 15 mm



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