Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0204
Byzantine Gold Inlaid Ceremonial Axe Head
CIRCA 9TH-12TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/4 in. (28.88 grams, 10.9 cm).
A miniature tzikourion comprising a crescentic blade with long neck, flared socket and leaf-shaped blade to the rear; gilt surface with reserved florid and tendril detailing, stylised cross to the flared socket.
Provenance
Private collection formed in Europe in the 1980s.
Westminster collection, central London, UK.
Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no. no.12340-225024.
Literature
See similar forms (iconography) in Nicolle, Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era, 1050-1350 AD, volume II, Islam, Eastern Europe and Asia, London, 1999, figs.33p &118c, pp.355 and 373; for battle specimens from the territories of Eastern Roman Empire cf. Yotov, V., Въоръжението и снаряжението от българското средновековие (VII-XI век), (Arms in Bulgaria in medieval period, 7th – 12th century), Варна 2004, no.637; Gorelik, M., ‘Arms and Armour in South-Eastern Europe in the Second Half of First Millennium AD’ in Nicolle, D. (ed.), A Companion to Medieval Arms and Armour, Oxford, 2002, pp.127-148, pl.XL-8, nos.33 ,34 (Khazar Khanate equipment).
Footnotes
It is possible that this axe was used as a status symbol for officers or their family. The axe was known to be a symbol of the Varangian Guard who protected the emperor.
CONDITIONVETTING:
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.
RELATED LOTS
-
Byzantine Cameo with Virgin Mary and Archangel Gabriel
6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,720
Ellipsoid in plan with reserved image of the Annunciation and a frond. 2.3 grams, 25 mm
Formerly in the collection of Michael Dennis O'Hara, 1970. From the private collection of the late Alison Barker, a retired barrister, formed 1970-1990. Ex North American collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12401-226381.
The cameo represents the well known episode of the Gospel of Saint Luke (1.26.38), where the Archangel Gabriel brings Virgin Mary the news of her pregnancy. -
Byzantine Rock Crystal Stamp Seal in Silver Pendant with Military Saint on Horseback
Circa 6th-7th century A.D.Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,500
With a tapering octagonal body, the military saint on horseback holding a long spear, the horse wearing a detailed harness; set in a conical silver frame with suspension loop and crenellated edge. 7.9 grams, 30 mm
From an old New Zealand private collection. Acquired on the New Zealand art market circa 2014. Property of a New Zealand legal professional. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12327-223721.
The motif of a saint on horseback was common in the Romano-Christian culture of the 6th-7th centuries. The figure of a saint symbolised protection of the local church or monastery and its community, and could also be related to the priest leader of the community, as their personal seal. -
.jpg)
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £195
Piriform body with vertical ribs to the body, interstitial panels of impressed foliage ornament, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 573 grams, 14 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'.
This piece was a sort of a ceramic fire grenade, similar to the ones used by the Eastern Romans but of Turco-Mongol type. Apart from the use of manual flame-throwers, special corps of soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations, even in Burma.
