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]

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'.

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.

The 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.