Loading, please wait...
LOT 1790
Greek Bronze Tanged Spearhead
1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
14 3/8 in. (181 grams, 36.5 cm).
Comprising a round-section tapering shank developing to the midrib of a leaf-shaped two-edged blade, flange collar, square-section tang and hooked finial.
ProvenanceEx Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.
LiteratureCf. Branigan, K., Aegean Metalwork of the Early and Middle Bronze Age, Oxford, 1974, item 447, for type VIII.
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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Antique Wooden Crossbow
19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
Carved, stocky body with an iron suspension ring, rope cable and iron trigger. 1.38 kg, 75 cm wide
Private collection, London, UK. (For sale only to bidders of at least 18 years of age. UK buyers only.) -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
Ovoid body with impressed dot decoration, domed filler hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 360 grams, 12.1 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. -
Luristan Bronze Tanged Dirk
Early 1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
Comprising a slender blade with a raised midrib with grooves, a short rectangular-section tang pierced at the end. 200 grams, 41.5 cm
Ex Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.
The Luri people produced a quantity of fine metalwork, which, according to Dr Khorasani, could be due to a settled period arising as a result of the defeat of the Elamites by the Babylonians, leaving the Luristani people in relative peace for a period of time after 1200 BC. According to Khorasani, 'A culture of innovation and experimentation flourished, and the repertoire of the Luristan smiths expanded in the period between 1150-1050 B.C.'
