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LOT 1319
Byzantine Period Terracotta Oil Lamp with Raised Handle
CIRCA 5TH-7TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/8 in. (62.6 grams, 10.6 cm).
Comprising a piriform body with low-relief linear and ring-and-dot decoration, a tall handle with a forked finial at the rear, and a low basal ring. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a Yorkshire, UK gentleman, items collected in the Holy Land in the 1960s.
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:
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Byzantine Silver-Gilt Earring Pair
6th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £187
A matched pair with round-section hoops and decorative 'bulbs' featuring medial ropework collars, with applied beads and collars of 'ropework' to both ends. 9.54 grams total, 35-36 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
Byzantine Silver Ring with Gilt Eagle
5th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £468
Disc bezel flanked by two bosses; gilt panel with low-relief eagle. 6.69 grams, 24.36 mm overall, 21.21 x 20.94 mm internal diameter (approximate size British W, USA 11, Europe 25, Japan 24)
UK private collection before 2000. Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, London, UK. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Cylindrical body with thickened base and angled shoulder; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 365 grams, 10.1 cm
From 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'.
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.
