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LOT 1372
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/4 in. (415 grams, 10.6 cm).
Piriform body with domed filler-hole, the upper body with impressed ring-and-dot motifs; 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): £195
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Viking Age Ugro-Finnian Battle Axehead
11th-12th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
A hand-forged iron axehead with square chin to the blade, flanges raised to the socket, rear round hammer-head. 200 grams, 15.5 cm
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.
The more commonly used weapons of the Finno-Ugrian people were axes, commonly found in all Finnic areas, as well as spears. Iron axeheads of this typology show a sub-trapezoidal asymmetrical blade. -
Chinese Serpentine and Gilt Bronze Ceremonial Axe
Qing Dynasty, 19th-early 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Comprising a serpentine pelta-shaped blade with taotie motif, bronze socket formed as a stylised fish with a lizard on its back, open mouth to accept the staff; in archaic style. 513 grams, 23.5 cm
Acquired UK, in the 1980s. Property of a retired South West London doctor -
Western Asiatic Bronze Blade Collection
Early 1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Including four with tapering blades with broad flattened mid-ribs and rounded shoulders, tapered squared section tangs, two with tang pierced at tip; a similar blade with the tang bent at the tip; one spearhead with foliate blade and raised mid-rib; a short dagger with leaf-shaped blade and long rectangular-section tang. 528 grams total, 17.5-22.6 cm
Ex London collection, formed 1990-2000.
Moorey, Gordon and Khorasani created a classification of bladed weapons, according to which daggers are edged weapons no greater than 36cm in length, dirks (short swords) are between 36cm and 50cm in length, and swords are edged weapons greater than 50cm in length.
