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LOT 1092
Byzantine Bronze Pendant Cross
6TH-8TH CENTURY A.D.
1 1/4 in. (2.82 grams, 32 mm).
Expanding-arm type with integral loop. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
Cf. Pitarakis, B., Les Croix-Reliquaires Pectorales Byzantines En Bronze, France, 2006, for discussion.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Byzantine Bronze Punch with Menorah and Hebrew Inscription
Circa 5th-6th century A.D.Estimate: £900 - 1,200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £475
Columnar stem with conical base extending to a square-section shank. 18.8 grams, 31 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
Stamping in antiquity and in the Roman Empire was under strict regulations, and it was not limited to food and liquid containers. Bricks and tiles used in construction were impressed with the names of magistrates, workshops, estate owners from whom the material came, and the names of individual makers. Among the myriad Late Roman stamps, a great number were to mark bread or containers holding flour and other foods, as well as a variety of liquids such as wine, oil, fish and fruits preserved in sauces, medical ointments, and even water. It is interesting to note as the Jewish symbols here engraved are very stylised: as mentioned by various scholars, the Jewish representations of shofar and lulav on this category of stamps degenerated in quality in Late Antiquity, and this is why they are variously dated between the 4th and the 7th century. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
Piriform in profile with a band of impressed annulets on the shoulder; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 533 grams, 11.9 cm
From a specialist collection, London, UK, 1990-2000s. 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. -
Byzantine Bronze Cross and Other Pendant Collection
6th-12th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Including a leaf-shaped strap end, vesica-shaped pendant and other items. 24.12 grams total, 26-41 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
