Loading, please wait...
LOT 1843
Greek Lead Slingshot with Inscriptions
4TH-3RD CENTURY B.C.
1 1/8 in. (25.5 grams, 28 mm).
Lenticular type with casting seam to the rim, raised 'Μ...ΝΗΣ' legend.
ProvenanceEx German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
Cf. for similar bullets (different inscription) Tsaravopoulos, A., ‘Evidence of war in a Pirates’City of the Hellenistic Period (Island Antikythera/Aigilia Greece)’ in Sirbu, V., Schuster, C., Hortopan, D., Warriors and their weapons in bronze and iron ages, Proceedings of the 21st International Colloquium of Funerary Archaeology 25th-28th May, 2023, Târgu Jiu, Gorj County (Romania), Braila, 2023, pp.301-320, figs.15-18.
FootnotesThe leaden bullets, which were thrown from slings, were called in Greek Molivdainai (μολύβδαιναι), and in Latin glandes; the former indicating the material ‘lead’, the latter the shape ‘acorns’. These bullets were cast in a mould and bore letters or devices, or both, on two sides or on only one. In form, they were more like an almond than an acorn, but many are pointed at both ends; in size, they are generally about one and a half inches in maximum length, and under one inch in maximum width.
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.
-
Villanovan Bronze Spear Butt End
Iron Age, circa 8th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
A conical hollow-form tube with ribbed neck, pierced through the sides for attachment. 71 grams, 11.2 cm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Luristan Bronze Spearhead
Early 2nd millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £442
Foliate blade with a central rib and slender shoulders, short rectangular shaft and tang with a bent finial. 643 grams, 42.2 cm
Ex Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.
A number of similar blades, some considered to be spearheads and others to be daggers, all with a bent tang, derived from Tepe Hissar Culture III. Some of them, like our specimen, have a button terminal, and some others have a plain, pointed terminal. The general dating of these specimens is fixed to the early 2nd millennium B.C. -
'Bourton-on-the-Water' Celtic Sword-Shaped Iron Currency Ingot
Iron Age, circa 200 B.C.-1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £338
A substantial long iron bar in the shape of a sword with the original short folded-over handle to one end. 561 grams, 82 cm
Found Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, UK, during the period between WWI and WWII. Property of the finder's family until sold by regional auction house, Tayler & Fletcher in Bourton-On-The-Water. From the private collection of a Stratford-upon-Avon, UK, gentleman.
Currency bars were standardised units used to trade in Iron Age Britain between circa 200 B.C.-1st century A.D. They were often sword-shaped and were used as a form of early currency or trade commodity in Iron Age Britain before coinage became widespread, serving as a store of wealth and medium of exchange. These high-status objects, requiring significant labour (25 man-days/kg), often featured a socket or hilt, possibly to show quality. Types including spit, sword, plough, and bay-leaf shapes have been found in hoards at hillforts like Hod Hill and Danebury.
