Byzantine Garnet Set Gold Pendant

With flared shoulders and octagonal plaque, incuse bird with wings spread in a naive linear style. 2.74 grams, 21.40 mm overall, 18.73 mm internal diameter (approximate size British R, USA 8 1/2, Europe 18 3/4, Japan 18)



Private collection formed since the 1940s. UK art market. Property of an Essex gentleman.

Each formed as a dove with garnet set wings and eyes (one eye absent), beaded border framing the raised settings; triangular tail with garnet insert; body with incised feather detailing; four loops to the underside with pearl drops (one absent) and a double loop on the back. 12.8 grams total, 32 mm



Art market before 2000. Private collection, London, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12104214176.

There are good points of comparison between the earring from the Piazza della Consolazione treasure in Rome and the Cluj (Pietroasa) with our earring to suggest that these should all be dated from the second quarter to the second half of the 5th century A.D. The earring set of Piazza della Consolazione treasure is decorated with radiating pearls on wires, in the fashion of the Cluj medallion and our earring.

Piriform body with bands of impressed tongue-shaped motifs, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 611 grams, 14.3 cm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. 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.