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LOT 1443
Large North-West Persian Bronze Sword Blade
11TH-7TH CENTURY B.C.
20 1/2 in. (460 grams, 52 cm).
With prominently curved guard extending out from the ricasso partly framing the hilt, thick midrib extending slightly above the ricasso.
ProvenanceAcquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
See Muscarella, O.W., Bronze and Iron Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1988, pp.99-100, for similar.
FootnotesThe hilt of such swords was made separately and unfortunately is nearly always missing from the archaeological records. Similar daggers have been recorded from the South Caspian area from Tomadjan and Ghalekuti. Their chronology ranges from late 2nd millennium B.C. to 7th century B.C.
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
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Carolingian Iron Spur with Silver Studs
Circa 8th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £221
With D-section arms, attachment loop, prick spur with two bands of applied studs. 150 grams, 18 cm
Ex B Posey collection, 1990s. Ex Den of Antiquity, Cambridgeshire, UK. Accompanied by a dealer's catalogue information card. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
10th-13th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
Piriform body decorated with concentric circles, with sphero-conical filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 472 grams, 13 cm
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 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. -
Large Luristan Bronze Socketted Axe-Adze
13th-7th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £195
With tapering socket and flared rim to the mouth, vertical axe-blade with curved cutting edge, horizontal adze blade of similar proportions. 1.14 kg, 24 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
The earliest axe-adzes from the 3rd millennium B.C. were weapons and tools furnished with socketted holes. Usually the socket is a more secure way of attaching the object to a wooden haft than having a tang. These weapons developed into a range of different forms in the 2nd millennium B.C., which were used until at least 800 B.C.
