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LOT 1496
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
5 3/4 in. (455 grams, 14.6 cm).
Piriform body with domed filler-hole; 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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LOT 1496
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
Estimate £80 - 100€93 - 116 (for guidance only)$108 - 135 (for guidance only)
Opening Bid
£5 (EUR 6; USD 7) +BP*
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Celtic Iron Open Socketted Splayed Axehead
Late Hallstatt-Early La Tene Period, circa 450 B.C.Estimate: £50 - 70 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
Curving blade and a rectnagular-section socket with thickened rim. 332 grams, 10.7 cm
Ex M. Spiegelberg collection, since 1989-1992; thence by descent. Accompanied by a copy of a previous yellow cataloguing slip. -
Greek Lead Slingshot with Inscription
3rd-1st century B.C.Estimate: £60 - 80 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
Lenticular type with casting seam to the rim, raised legend 'ΛΥΣΙΑ' (commander's name, Lisia) on one side. 39.1 grams, 29 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
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Luristan Dagger with Animal-Headed Hilt
Circa 1000-700 B.C.Estimate: £600 - 800 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £300
With a lentoid-section blade, tongue-shaped in plan; integral tapering hilt with flared lobes to the finial, lateral spurs to the grip with incised detailing; baluster formed as a pair of addorsed horse-heads forming a stylised grotesque mask; mounted on a custom-made stand. 540 grams total, 36 cm including stand
with Art Ancient, London, UK. Private collection, London, UK.
Pre-Mongol remains in Kazakhstan, and the Russian-Ukrainian steppes can be attributed to the Cumans, also called Kiptchaks. In the latter region, the Cuman presence is particularly associated with 12th- to 13th-century kurgan groups. Certain elements of the grave goods are highly characteristic of the Cumans, such as gold sceptres made from a coiled metal rod, which sometimes resemble a straightened torque.
