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LOT 1317
Byzantine Terracotta Slipper Oil Lamp with Cross
6TH-8TH CENTURY A.D.
3 1/4 in. (65 grams, 84 mm).
Slipper-shaped in plan with a low rim around the filler hole, a stub nozzle, a lug handle to the rear, radiating linear decoration to the shoulder and cross-and-pellets to the nozzle, 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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Byzantine Period Terracotta Oil Lamp
Circa 5th-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
Slipper type with a wide nozzle and a raised handle with pellet and ring-and-dot decoration to the rear, three vertical bands behind the handle, a band of pellets surrounding the filler-hole. 104 grams, 10.6 cm
From the collection of a Yorkshire, UK gentleman, items collected in the Holy Land in the 1960s. -
Byzantine Seal Matrix with Inscription
Circa 11th-12th century A.D.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £56
With inscription '+ΘKEB / OΘTO / ΔΟΛΟ / ΤΘΛΑ' for 'ΘΕΟΤΟΚΕ ΒΟΗΘΕI ΤΩ ΔΟΥΛΩ ΤΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΛΑΔΕ' (Mother of God, help Lades, the servant of God). 13.1 grams, 18 mm
From an important collection formed before 1988, London and Geneva.
The stamp seals that have survived in large numbers from Byzantium are objects a few centimetres high and conical in shape, featuring a sealing surface at the lower end and a pendant at the upper end. They served the same function as signet rings and were used to seal everyday objects, primarily for personal purposes, using wax and other soft materials. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
Ovoid in profile with a domed filler hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 349 grams, 88 mm
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.
