Loading, please wait...

Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge

Details

LOT 1115

Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade

9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.

5 7/8 in. (912 grams, 15 cm).

Ovoid in profile with incised dot decoration on the upper body; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. [No Reserve]

Provenance

From a specialist collection, London, UK, 1990-2000s.

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'.

Literature

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.

Footnotes

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.

CONDITION

VETTING:

TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process


AUCTIONS:

TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.

LOT 1115

Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade

Sold for (Inc. bp): £85

Print page

RELATED LOTS

  • Byzantine Green Glazed Sgraffito Footed Bowl
    Byzantine Green Glazed Sgraffito Footed Bowl
    13th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £780

    Carinated in profile with narrow flared base, green-glazed upper body; to the inner face a central roundel with zigzag fill and a zigzag band above the gallery, to the outer face horizontal zigzag band to the shoulder; old Christie's label with '144/2 5540'. 372 grams, 13 cm



    Ex Charles Gillot (1853-1903). with Christie's, Paris, 2008. European private collection.

    Lot Details

  • Byzantine Silver-Gilt Inscribed Pectoral Cross Pendant
    Byzantine Silver-Gilt Inscribed Pectoral Cross Pendant
    Circa 12th-13th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £312

    Cross pommee type with moulded detailing; obverse: Corpus Christi reserved on gilt field; reverse: legend with pointillé detailing 'KEBEHPωφPαΤω'. 11.2 grams, 40 mm



    From a London, UK, private collection since the 1990s.

    Lot Details

  • Byzantine Bronze Ring with Warrior Saint
    Byzantine Bronze Ring with Warrior Saint
    14th-15th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £59

    Comprising a slender hoop with gently expanding shoulders, an oval bezel with a stylised standing figure holding a spear. 3.23 grams, 20.48 mm overall, 18.01 mm internal diameter (approximate size British N 1/2, USA 6 3/4, Europe 14..35, Japan 13)



    Acquired on the UK and EU art market before 2000. From the private collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.

    These kind of rings, possibly signet rings, find their parallels with artefacts from Eastern Europe, especially in the area of Smederevo. Comparison elements allow us to propose a 14th-15th A.D. date. In the Orthodox world, military saints were common representations, although engraved simplistically.

    Lot Details

Stay up-to-date with the latest from TimeLine Auctions by joining our mailing list