Loading, please wait...
LOT 1800
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
5 3/4 in. (474 grams, 14.6 cm).
Ovoid in profile with a domed filler hole, a circumferential line above the shoulder; 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 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.
CONDITIONTimeLine 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 1800
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
-
.jpg)
Viking Iron Sword Pommel, Upper Guard and Lower Guard
Later 10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £910
Comprising: lower guard, lentoid in plan and slightly curved in profile with recessed underside, slot to accept the tang; upper guard, lentoid in plan with scooped long edges; pommel with large median lobe and lateral shoulders, Petersen's Type S. 520 grams total, 77-91 mm
London, UK, collection, formed in the late 1990s. -
King James II Period Iron Lance Head
Late 17th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
Comprising a flat-section leaf-shaped blade with a short round-section neck, a square-section baluster with hatched surfaces, and a narrow flared socket with remains of original wooden shaft. 162 grams, 28.5 cm
By repute from the site of the battle of Sedgemoor (6th July 1685), Somerset, UK. Formerly from the collection of gentleman from South London, UK. Property of a private collector, West London, UK. -
Luristan Bronze Socketted Adze-Axehead
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Short tubular socket with thickened rim, perpendicular short blade with convex cutting edge to the rear, and a larger triangular-section blade with curving blade to the front. 675 grams, 16.5 cm
Ex Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.
The earliest axes-adzes from the 3rd millennium B.C. were weapons and tools furnished with socket holes. Usually, the socket is a more secure way of attaching the object to a wooden haft than having a simple tang. These weapons developed into a plethora of forms in the 2nd millennium B.C., and the numerous new forms were used until at least 800 B.C.
