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LOT 1397
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/4 in. (398 grams, 10.8 cm).
A small ceramic missile with segmented shoulder and impressed rosettes, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a military inspired collection formed from the 1990s.
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. Apart 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 1397
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £182
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Viking Age Iron Pattern-Welded Sword with Bronze Jellinge Hilt
11th-13th century A.D.Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,500
Double-edged cutting sword of Curonian Type with tapering fullers and showing battle scars; boat-shaped bronze cross-guard with Jellinge Style decoration, the seven-lobed pommel with similar decoration. 918 grams, 92.5 cm
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. 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.12175-221434.
The Curonian swords of this type, sometimes with animal head decoration on the lower guard, were widespread and used in the Eastern Baltic lands from 10th to 13th century. Curonian swords possessed both plastic hilt details (ends of the lower guards in the form of animal heads) of animal style, a clear influence from the Germanic style of Scandinavians, as well as a regular geometric ornament, a decoration motif derived from the Romanesque art. -
Luristan Bronze Tanged Arrowhead
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
With broad heater-shaped head and barbs to the rear, square shoulder and narrow tang. 41.6 grams, 13.5 cm
Property of the vendor's grandfather, thence by family descent, circa 1985. From the private collection of a New York, USA gentleman.
The arrowhead resembles a stylised bird's head, according to classification by Khorasani. This was a type of decorative arrowheads, belonging to the typology of barbed arrowheads. -
Medieval Iron Broad Axehead with Maker's Mark
Circa 14th-15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £468
The socket D-shaped in plan with gently curved rear edge, narrow neck ad swept curve to the blade with forge-welded steel edge; lateral stamped mark. 700 grams, 210 mm
Ex private North American collection, California, USA, 1970s-1990s.
