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LOT 1007
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/8 in. (414 grams, 10.4 cm).
Piriform body with domed filler-hole, segmented bands radiating from the filler hole interspersed with bands of impressed pellets; 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 1007
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £182
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Byzantine Silver Intaglio with Inscription
Circa 6th-12th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Discoid-shaped with Greek inscription in four lines. 2.01 grams, 13 mm
From an important collection formed before 1988, London and Geneva. -
Byzantine Terracotta Oil Lamp with Chi Rho
5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £494
Piriform in plan with two small circular filling holes; rounded nozzle and basal ring with concentric rings; raised Christogram between the filling holes and raised ivy-leaf motifs. 173 grams, 14.7 cm
Marceaux Collection, France. Private collection Mr. D, France, before 2000. -
Byzantine Silver Magical Plaque with St. Sisinnius
6th-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
Ovoid plaque with incised amuletic ornament; obverse with nimbate horseman bearing a cross potent spearing a supine stylised female figure, Greek legend above 'oΑΓΟC CICINIC' (St. Sisinnius); reverse with advancing lion and Syrian and Greek legend relating to Μαρία η Αιγυπτία (St. Mary of Egypt). 4.13 grams, 31 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
In Byzantine folklore, St Sisinnius was the supernatural horseman and opponent of the Gelloudes, a class of female witches.
