Eastern Roman Tinned Bronze Composite Belt Mount

With a piriform body and domed mouth; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 603 grams, 11.8 cm high



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. 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 Roman soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations. Such were the γανωτα, vessels (sometimes also in bronze) used for Greek fire. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.

By Rodgers, with finely shaped 15cm stiletto blade with traces of original black finish tapering to a steel oval guard and fitted with a brass 'beaded and ringed' shaped hilt secured by a copper pommel nut; the hilt bearing the War Department 'broad arrow' and '2' marks near to the guard; with the original leather scabbard fitted with brass rivets and chape, pierced for belt wear and with the side flaps for sewing cut away as commonly seen when belt worn; the dagger showing wear with minor chipping to the blade, and movement in the hilt. 254 grams, 33 cm overall



Property of a Luton, UK gentleman, by inheritance.

In the autumn of 1942, the Rodgers firm produced what many consider to be the best of all the wartime Fairbairn-Sykes knives: the 'Beads and Ridges' model (or 'Beaded and Ringed'); so-called for its distinctive grip pattern to the brass hilt of single rings of tiny beads, interspersed between sections of four to seven plain rings. The blade is delicate and uniform, and the weapon, though light, is well balanced. The blade finish was black (as this example) or nickel. All of this type are considered to be at least scarce. According to both Fredrick Stephens and Leroy Thompson the type was a commercial variant for private purchase; however, there are some rare cases of this type which were officially issued with the War Department broad arrow and number marks, as with this example.

With elliptical socket and slightly flaring cheeks with cutting edge. 939 grams, 17.5 cm



Acquired 1990s-early 2000s. East Anglian private collection.

The axe corresponds to the Maxwell-Hyslop Type 20A, similar to specimens from Ordu and purely Asiatic in inspiration. An axe from Giyan has a distinct shaft tube which is not present on the Ordu axe, but the shape of the blade is similar and it is probable that smiths travelling over the Eastern Anatolian and Persian trade routes were responsible for making these typologies of axes.