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LOT 1671
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
5 1/8 in. (1.1 kg total, 13 cm).
Biconvex in profile with tall neck and domed mouth, deformed when the clay was still wet. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a specialist London, UK, arms and armour collection, 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'.
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.
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 1671
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £124
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Marlik Bronze Spearhead
14th-10th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £195
Elongated tapering triangular blade, with broad midrib and squared shoulders slightly rounded at the corners, rectangular sectioned tang with a bent button end. 387 grams, 49 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.
The spearhead belongs to the sub-type A of the spearhead classification of Khorasani. Similar specimens, now in the National Museum of Iran, Teheran, were excavated in the Royal Cemetery of Marlik and found in tomb 5 trench 8 of that Necropolis. -
Luristan Bronze Pointed Spear
9th-7th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
Square in section and tapering to a substantial point, with short neck and square-section tang. 201 grams, 34.2 cm
Ex London, UK, gallery, 1971-early 2000s. London, UK, collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. -
Luristan Bronze Sword
Late 2nd-early 1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
The grip decorated with horizontal flat grooves and raised aediculae, crescentic guard, long blade with ridged flat mid-grip. 508 grams, 51.1 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.
This category of swords has been classified by Khorasani as 'swords with a mushroom pommel' and are usually characterised by a solid-cast hilt with a penannular guard, a ribbed or variously decorated grip and a conical hollow-cast mushroom pommel, here lost. Usually the blade is multi-fullered and tapers to a sharp tip. Moorey considers them to be from the end of the 2nd millennium B.C. Gorelik extends the dating to the 8th-7th century B.C.
