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LOT 1320
Byzantine Terracotta Slipper Oil Lamp with Animal Head and Cross Below
5TH-8TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/8 in. (72.3 grams, 10.5 cm).
Slipper-shaped body in plan with double rim around the filler hole, stub nozzle, lug handle in the form of a goat's head, scrolls, cross and other decoration to the shoulder, low basal ring. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a collection of lamps of a late Scottish gentleman, 1970-1990s.
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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LOT 1320
Byzantine Terracotta Slipper Oil Lamp with Animal Head and Cross Below
Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
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Byzantine Period Terracotta Oil Lamp
Circa 5th-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Slipper-type with a wide nozzle and a handle at the rear, discus with a wreath surrounding the filler hole, and a low basal ring. 86.3 grams, 10.1 cm
From the collection of a Yorkshire, UK gentleman, items collected in the Holy Land in the 1960s. -
Byzantine Silver Marriage Ring
6th-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Comprising a slender round-section hoop with a rectangular bezel featuring an opposing couple, reversed inscription 'VIVTΛS' above. 1.97 grams, 21.66 mm overall, 18.81 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q, USA 8, Europe 17.49, Japan 16)
From an English private collection, 1980s. Property of a London, UK, antiquarian. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Piriform in profile with a domed filler hole, linear decoration and a band of impressed lozenges with a cross motif on the shoulder; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 374 grams, 10.5 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.
