Loading, please wait...

Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge
Details

LOT 1074

Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade

9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.

5 in. (670 grams, 12.5 cm).

Piriform in profile with raised lugs and stamped rosettes on the shoulder; 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 1074

Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade

Sold for (Inc. bp): £98

Print page

RELATED LOTS
  • Byzantine Terracotta Pilgrims Holy Water Ampula with St Menas
    Byzantine Terracotta Pilgrim's Holy Water Ampula with St Menas
    5th-7th century B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £117

    Hollow body discoid in profile and lentoid in section with thick loop handles to the shoulders, low-relief scene of a nimbate man between beasts to obverse, similar flanked by crosses pommee to reverse. 106 grams, 96 mm



    From a Scottish gentleman’s collection, Glasgow, formed from the early 2000s.

    Lot Details

  • Byzantine Greek Fire Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
    Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
    9th-11th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £52

    Ovoid in profile with domed filler hole, linear decoration; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 269 grams, 85 mm



    From 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'.

    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.

    Lot Details

  • Byzantine Bronze Ring with Inscriptions
    Byzantine Bronze Ring with Inscriptions
    11th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £98

    Flat-section hoop with incuse foliate designs on each of the shoulders, oval bezel with inscription in two lines: 'ΙΗX ΗΝΑ' = Ἰη[σοῦς] Χ[ριστός] H N[I]KA' = Jesus Christ and the Victory. 5.79 grams, 23.02 mm overall, 19.43 mm internal diameter (approximate size British T, USA 9 1/2, Europe 21.26, Japan 20)



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

    In this category of rings, the oval hoop gradually widens into a full shoulder and a massive, flattened bezel. The bezel is an ellipsoidal field, decorated with a dedicatory inscription to Christ. The letters are roughly engraved. This ring is likely to have come from a Byzantine-era provincial Balkan workshop.

    Lot Details

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