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LOT 1408
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/2 in. (444 grams, 11.3 cm).
Piriform body with impressed ribs to the equator, band of roundels to the shoulder, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom 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'.
Cf. 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 Gefäße aus Gebranntem Ton, ibid; cf. Ayalon, D., Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p.16.
FootnotesApart 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.
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LOT 1408
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
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Western Asiatic Bronze Flat Axe
4th millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
Formed with a rounded butt and slightly flared cutting edge; flat in cross-section. 138 grams, 18.5 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
This type of flat axes appeared in the last phase of the Late Chalcolithic Age. Flat axes without lugs were used as cutting tools or in war. In the later examples the sides of the blades was gradually widening towards the convex cutting edge. -
Viking Age Iron T-Shaped Axehead
10th-12th century A.D.Estimate: £300 - 400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £80
Narrow T-shaped blade with curved edge, large D-shaped socket with lateral triangular flanges and rectangular extension to the rear. 588 grams, 17 cm
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.
Slavic battle-axes also came into use in Scandinavia, especially in the Eastern part of Gotland, Denmark and Sweden. One of the types was a T-shaped axe with a broad blade. There were narrow-bladed types too, described as being very light. Another characteristic of some of the Eastern axes was an extra long hammer or more rarely a secondary blade protruding from the back of axehead. -
Marlik Bronze Spearhead with Linear Decoration
14th-10th century B.C.Estimate: £600 - 800 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £300
Of triangular shape with projecting midribs with vertical grooves alongside, long folded socketted shaft with eighteen horizontal grooves at the base, hole for attachment to a wooden shaft. 436 grams total, 61 cm high including stand
Ex German collection, 1980s. From a Surrey, UK, private collection, 1990s.
This specimen belongs to the type VIII, subtype B of the Khorasani classification. Similar specimens were excavated in the Marlik Royal cemetery by Dr Negahban. The spearheads of this type are characterised by well projecting mid-ribs and long, folded sockets.
