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LOT 1462
Large Medieval Iron Incendiary Fire Arrowhead
CIRCA 12TH-14TH CENTURY A.D.
8 1/4 in. (52 grams, 21 cm).
A tanged arrowhead with openwork lozengiform blade, the centre with a truncated vesica-shaped void.
ProvenanceAcquired on the French art market.
From the private collection of a Buckinghamshire, UK, gentleman.
The central void was included to allow cloth soaked in tallow to be bound around the arrowhead; this was ignited before shooting.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 1462
Large Medieval Iron Incendiary Fire Arrowhead
Sold for (Inc. bp): £442
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Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
A piriform ceramic missile with band of impressed roundels to the shoulder and filler-hole above, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 567 grams, 10.5 cm
From a military inspired collection formed from the 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. -
Western Asiatic South Caspian Bronze Sword
9th-8th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £878
With penannular guard and a multi-fullered double edged blade tapering to a sharp point, solid cast hilt made of a round handle with two decorative discs under the stone mushroom pommel. 1.06 kg, 71 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
In this sword it is possible that hilt and blade were not cast as one unit, but rather that the hilt was cast onto the blade. The thick guard is related to the crescent type, but here is almost rectangular, albeit with rounded shoulders, like in the blade of Metropolitan published by Muscarella. -
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Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £92
Piriform body with domed filler-hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 580 grams, 12.5 cm
From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. 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. Such were the γανωτα, vessels (sometimes also of 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.
