Indian Iron Dagger with Glass Hilt

Finely curved, broad blade with square chin to the lower edge, rounded socket with lateral triangular extensions; professionally cleaned, conserved, and restored. 552 grams, 16 cm



From the family collection of a South East London collector; formerly acquired in the late 1950s.

This type of bearded axe seems to correspond to the E2 category of the Viking axe classification, but also has affinity with the Slavic axes of type Y. Usually, these bearded axeheads (skeggöks) had a longer edge, designed to split tree trunks into planks and beams. Some of the bearded axes were known as halfÞynna öx; the neck on such a 'half thin axe' was thinly forged, to make it lighter.

Piriform with vertical socket expanding towards the narrower end. 342 grams, 67 mm



Ex London, UK, collection, 1990-2000s.

Ovoid in profile with a rounded base, a band of annulets and vertical lines on the upper body; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 691 grams, 14.6 cm



From a specialist collection, London, UK, 1990-2000s. 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.