Chinese Liao Bone Arrowhead

Squat in profile with domed mouth; ring-and-dot motifs to the body, upper body and shoulder with line decoration, triple annulet motifs to the neck; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 594 grams, 10.6 cm



From 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'. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

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.

A 'Curonian' sword comprising a straight blade with a narrow and long tang, showing signs of employment on the edges; boat-shaped bronze cross guard with Jellinge style decoration of circles and crosses; rivetted seven-lobed pommel with an upper guard showing similar ornament. 689 grams, 81.5 cm



Private collection formed in Europe in the 1980s. Westminster collection, central London, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12618-235588. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The sword, with its seven-lobed pommel and its guards finds good parallels with Baltic swords used by Prussian, Curonians, Estonian and Lithuanian pagan warriors; clear parallels can be seen in Kazakevičius 1996, figs.62-63 (fig.2) and Tomsons, 2012, fig.2 (Fig.3),3,7. The Curonian swords of this type, sometimes with animal head decoration on the lower guard, were widespread and used in the Eastern Baltic lands from 10th to 13th century.

Including triangular-section, leaf-shaped and other types. 115 grams total, 19 - 44 mm



Acquired in the 1990s. Ex Abelita family collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.