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LOT 1421
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/4 in. (400 grams, 10.7 cm).
Ovoid in profile with scrolled linear decoration and impressed pellets; 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 1421
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
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Greek Lead Slingshot
3rd-1st century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
Biconical in profile with casting seam and reserved legend 'ΠΕΤΑ'. 30.89 grams, 29 mm
Acquired on the German art market before 2000. Private collection, Munich, Germany.
The term ‘peta’ likely refers to the petaon, a type of ancient Greek leather-pouch or hand-sling, which was used to throw a projectile with a heavy, flat dart known as a kestros. It was not connected with the slingshots, but its meaning was probably linked to the missile throwing activity. -
Viking Age Iron Socketted Spearhead
Circa 9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
Leaf-shaped blade with raised midrib extending to round-section tapering socket with fastening hole; professionally cleaned, conserved, and restored. 204 grams, 29 cm
From the family collection of a South East London collector; formerly acquired in the late 1950s. -
US Confederate Bayonet with Scabbard
19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Comprising a tubular socket for fixing to a muzzle of a weapon, long tapering triangular blade with a raised rib on the underside and a 'US / JB(?)' stamp at the base; with a later(?) civil war type scabbard. 500 grams total, 64.5 cm
From the private collection of author and historian Dr DeWitt Bailey, one of the global authorities on the confederate army in the US civil war; thence by descent to his grandson.
