Loading, please wait...
LOT 1383
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/4 in. (472 grams, 10.7 cm).
With broad shoulder, short neck, domed square-shaped lip and conical base, broad medial band, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired 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'.
See Arendt, W. I., Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind, Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p.42; cf. Arendt, W., Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton, ibid; Ayalon, D., Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p.16; Raimondo, C., 'Un deposito di granate dal castrum bizantino di Santa Maria del Mare (Catanzaro)' in Mélanges de l'Ecole française de Rome. Moyen-Age, tome 112, n°1, Roma, 2000, pp. 305-310.
FootnotesThe effectiveness of these grenades was much lower than the fire liquid thrown by the siphons. They were thrown by hand as it is evident by the presence of some sort of handle on the body of some of them to better allow the grip of the object (Raimondo, 2000 Plate 11a; fig. 4, c-d). Nothing excludes that they were also launched at more long distance with catapults or other war engines. The presence of a fuse for triggering the explosion is evidenced by the narrow mouth of the largest part of the grenades.
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:
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.
LOT 1383
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £221
-
.jpg)
Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowheads, Javelin Heads and Daggers
3rd millennium-7th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £195
Comprising ten slender tanged arrowheads, javelin heads and daggers, some lozenge-section and some with raised midribs. 329 grams total, 14-21.5 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
Most of these blades are bipartite, but the definition of the bipartite type is not absolute as it brings together weapons of very different and unrelated designs. In fact, some weapons do not have a sufficiently characteristic shape to be interpreted as a spear, dagger, or long arrowhead. The javelin heads classified by Gernez as type Type L 3 are characterized by the simplicity of their design. They have a sharp and/or pointed active part, a flat, elliptical or rhomboidal cross-section and an elongated tang with a rectangular, square or circular section, ending in a pointed, widened, curved or folded blade. -
Luristan Bronze Arrowhead Group
13th-6th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £260
Comprising tanged arrowheads of leaf-shaped and barbed types, most with midribs. 182 grams total, 64-13.5 cm
Acquired 1990s. From the collection of a late Japanese weaponry collector.
Although some of them different in shape, these arrowheads are apparently related types of a polythetic group. There are represented two basic deltoid forms: one has a sharp, flat blade, the ends of which extend to form wings or barbs, and a prominent midrib extending into a long tang that often has a stop; the blade shape varies from deltoid to more manifestly triangular. The other form has no barbs, but it has a prominent midrib extending to the tang, the blade narrow and leaf shaped. -
Viking Age Sword with Engraved Mammen Style Hilt
8th-9th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,500
Pattern-welded, double-edged tapering blade with a tapering tang; the boat-shaped lower guard, pommel, and upper guard decorated in Mammen Style with silver inlay; professionally conserved. 955 grams, 90.5 cm
Some light pitting in evidence along with minor edge loss, some delamination visible on the blade’s surface; professionally treated and preserved according to Museum’s standard.
From the Bornhauser collections. Ex A. Green private collection. Ex Balticum. with Army of Tennessee Relics, Knoxville, USA. Accompanied by an Army of Tennessee certificate of authenticity dated 5th October 2017. 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.12021-214091.
This beautiful Viking sword (probably a river find) shows engraved decoration in Mammen style (700-800 A.D.) and is an early type A according to the Petersen’s typology and classification. This category of swords evolved from the swords of the Vendel Period in Scandinavia, especially from the Swedish ones. Petersen originally individuated eight examples of this sword’s typology, one of the first categories of Viking swords, although these swords were also widely used in the Carolingian Empire.
