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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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LOT 1372
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £260
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Margiana Bronze Axehead
Late 2nd millennium B.C.Estimate: £200 - 300 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £111
With a narrow neck and rounded bill-shaped blade, rounded wings to the socket and square-headed stud behind. 289 grams, 18.3 cm
Ex Abelita family collection, 1988.
These categories of axes were of Oriental production, coming from the territories of Bactria and Margiana, occasionally imported to Elam and Luristan. The anthropomorphic and zoomorphic patterns are sometimes visible, and the button at the back of the heel (very common) is related to examples from Luristan, but the style differs markedly. -
Anglo-Saxon Socketted Iron Spearhead
5th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Lentoid-section broad leaf-shaped blade with thick neck and split socket; Swanton's Group D1. 215 grams, 24.4 cm
Found near Wetwang, East Yorkshire, UK. Acquired circa 2005. Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK.
The chronological range of the type D1 extends over the entire Pagan period. With the group C1, of which Swanton believed this might simply be a long-socketted variant, the typology did not survive the 7th century A.D. -
Luristan Arrowhead Collection
13th-7th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £390
Comprising forty-five arrowheads of various types, including triangular, lanceolate and leaf-shaped; mainly tanged, some barbed. 557 grams total, 3.2-17.1 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
