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LOT 1507
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
5 in. (594 grams, 12.5 cm).
Piriform body with a domed mouth, a circumferential hatched band on the shoulder; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom 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.
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 1507
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
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Viking Age Iron Bearded Axehead
10th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Curved broad blade with chin to the lower edge, rounded socket with lateral triangular extensions and a rectangular extension to the rear; restored and conserved. 726 grams, 18 cm
From the family collection of a South East London collector; formerly acquired in the late 1950s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
This type of bearded axe seems to correspond to the E2 category of the Viking axe classification, but also has affinity with the Slavic type of axes Y. Usually these bearded axeheads (skeggöks) had a longer edge, designed to split tree trunks into planks and beams. Some of the bearded axes were known as halfÞynna öx; the neck on such a 'half thin axe' was thinly forged, to make it lighter. -
Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead Collection
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Comprising: five large elongated triangular arrowheads with raised midrib, sharp central groove, cylindrical stem, barbed shoulders and convex sides; two large tanged arrowheads, one of triangular type with mid-rib, the other with rounded shoulders. 140 grams total, 8.3-12.5 cm
Acquired in the 1990s. 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.
One of the categories of arrowheads coming from Marlik shows a large triangular blade with barbed shoulders, and has been ascribed by Negahban to the subtype C of the type V of Luristan or North Persian arrowheads. -
Large Luristan Bronze Sword
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
With prominent lateral wings to the shoulder, midrib extending from the ricasso to the tip and developing to form the tang. 378 grams, 53 cm
Acquired in the 1990s. 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.
