Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade

A large piriform missile with domed filler-hole, a band of impressed annulets to the shoulder and circumferential bands to the lowed body, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 957 grams, 15.2 cm



From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 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'. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

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.

The blade with shallow midrib, hilt cast with two horizontal grooves and crescentic guard. 354 grams, 31.5 cm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Moorey, Gordon and Khorasani created a classification of bladed weapons, according to which daggers are edged weapons not 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.

Chalcidian or Illyrian variant (Caucasian type), constructed from two halves with the right side overlapping the left, embossed ram horns on the brow, with a profile image of a stag to both sides; hinged cheek-pieces with regularly disposed holes to the outer edges; some restoration. 696 grams, 31cm high



Acquired on the European art market, mid-1980s. Private collection, Oxford, UK. From the collection of a London doctor. 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.12339-228100. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The cultural interchange and the military contacts between the Nomads of Kuban and the Hellenic peoples allowed the Sindo-Meothic, Scythian, or Sarmatian noblemen to equip themselves with such beautiful defensive equipment. The helmet finds its closest parallel in a specimen published by A.E. Negin, belonging to the Puskin Fine Arts Museum of Moscow, originally in the collection of S. Karakowskij (Negin, 2010, p.354 no.6; Hixenbaugh H304). Some of the helmets of this type were modified according to the nomadic (Scythian or Sarmatian) taste, being decorated with religious elements, like the deer.