Loading, please wait...
LOT 1142
Byzantine Bronze Seal with Saint
8TH-10TH CENTURY A.D.
3/4 in. (6.34 grams, 18 mm).
Collared loop above, underside with facing bust of a nimbate saint holding a cross. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
TimeLine 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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Piriform body with pointed base, two sets of circumferential banding on the body; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 470 grams, 10.6 cm
From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 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. -
Byzantine Bronze Ring with Three Line Inscription
6th-8th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
Discoid bezel with three lines of enigmatic Greek text 'KE[.]E / ΦυΛA / -+-'; with old collector's ticket 'van Phocas'. 3.51 grams, 23.60 mm overall, 20.04 mm internal diameter (approximate size British T, USA 9 1/2, Europe 21.26, Japan 20)
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Byzantine Terracotta Slipper Oil Lamp with Expanding Cross
Holy Land, circa 5th-8th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
Stub handle to the rear, the body decorated with pellets and diagonal strokes, an expanding cross on the nozzle, flanked by two rosettes. 73 grams, 85 mm
Ex Ancient Art Shop, Windsor, UK, 1990s. Ex private West County, UK, collection.