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LOT 1470
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
5 1/2 in. (922 grams, 14 cm).
Ovoid in profile with rounded base; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade.
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'.
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 1470
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
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Persian Dagger in White Metal and Copper Scabbard
19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Two-edged jambiya with narrow curved blade, brass bolster with silver facing and applied undulating band; hardwood grip, silver facing to pommel; silver-cased brass sheath with raised foliage ornament, pierced D-shaped suspension lug. 393 grams, 39 cm
Acquired during the 1960s. From an old North London oriental and ethnographical collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman. -
Post Medieval Bronze Decorated Scabbard Section
17th-19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
Fragment of scabbard for a narrow two-edged sword; with three transverse bands of impressed crosses, lozenges and rosettes; edges butted to reverse. 39 grams, 13 cm
From the collection of a Buckinghamshire, UK, collector established from the earlier 1960s. -
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Viking Age Iron Pattern-Welded Sword with Decorated Hilt and Chape
11th-13th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,750
Of Couronian type with straight blade tapering towards the point, shallow, tapering fullers, narrow tang, and boat-shaped lower guard with Jellinge Style decoration with wheel-type decoration to both sides, five-lobed pommel rivetted at the top; accompanied by a scabbard with Jellinge Style interlace decoration. 705 grams, 87.3 cm
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. 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.12915-245172.
One of the most characteristic and numerous sword types in the early medieval period from the Baltic territory is a special type of a double-edged sword, characteristic of the entire Eastern Baltic region, which is known as the ‘Couronian’ sword, the name given by Latvian archaeologist E. Šturms in his article in 1936, based on the finds from his country.
