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LOT 1808
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
5 1/2 in. (680 grams, 13.8 cm).
Piriform in profile with linear decoration on the body; 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.
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 1808
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
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Viking Iron Bearded Axehead
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £247
With a slender blade, chin to the lower edge with a spur to the rear, round socket with rectangular flanges; traces of the original wooden shaft inside the socket. 600 grams, 16.5 cm
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. -
Luristan Bronze Tanged Short Sword
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
Substantial blade with rounded shoulders and a short rectangular-section tang. 355 grams, 42.7 cm
Ex Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.
Luristan was hardly an ethnic or political entity, but the people of Luri had relations through warfare and trade with Sumerians, Lullubi, Assyrians, Babylonians and Elamites over a long period of time, spanning from the 3rd to the 2nd millennium B.C. The ruling elites of warrior horsemen were buried in the graves with their weapons and horses. -
Late Roman Iron-Shafted Lead Plumbata
Circa 3rd-7th century A.D.Estimate: £300 - 400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £150
Comprising a barrel-shaped lead body with a round-section shaft with a barbed finial. 67.4 grams, 13 cm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
Lead-weighted darts known as plumbatae mamillatae (or 'breasted javelin') were short darts mounted upon a shaft of the same shape, and thrown from a short distance. A Roman soldier would typically carry around 5-6 of these darts at any one time, fastened to the back of his shield. They could be thrown overhand or underhand, with an effective throwing range of up to 60 metres by trained soldiers.
