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LOT 1372
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
4 3/4 in. (547 grams, 12.1 cm).
Piriform body with band of impressed rosettes to the equator, 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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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 1372
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £260
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Civil War Iron Cannon Ball
Circa mid 17th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Solid shot suitable for a saker or demi-culverine. 4.05 kg, 10 cm
From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. -
Phoenician Bronze Arrowhead with Inscription
Circa 12th-11th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,640
With incised text to the midrib on one face, less well-defined characters to the reverse. 9.2 grams, 63 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
The arrowhead seems to carry a Proto-Aramaic or Phoenician inscription like many arrows found in the Levant and Israel. They are usually reporting proper names like ‘Suwar, retainer of Abday’. As far as the function of these arrowheads is concerned, we know that the name inscribed on them was the owner's because successive owner's names were incised on two palimpsest examples. The letters engraved upon our arrow seem to be in the Phoenician alphabet and read ḤŞ’Ḥ’ (arrow of…) on the reverse, and ’Š I Š Q (?) (man of…) on the obverse. -
Luristan Bronze Double Axehead
13th-7th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Double-edge axehead with flared blades, knops flanking the socket, pyramidal spurs. 222 grams, 10.8 cm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.
