Late Byzantine Green Glass Aryballos

Bifacial lead plaque with figurative decoration: obverse with Saint George, nimbate, on his horse killing a fallen foe with his spear; 'ΓΕΟΡΓ' label above the horse's neck, raised border with pellets and pellet clusters; reverse with relief pattern of a double circle decorated with double arcs forming a cross pellet to the centre. 48.8 grams, 64 mm



Private collection Mr S.A., Switzerland, before 1992, thence by descent.

According to the Christian tradition, Saint George would have lived between the end of the 3rd century and the beginning of the 4th century: born into a noble Christian family, he became an officer in the Roman army and was then named a prefect by Diocletian. But when the same emperor decided to resume the persecutions, Saint George became a victim despite his important political rank. His role in the development of the faith is so important that he is included among the Great Martyrs of the Eastern Church and his fight against the dragon becomes a symbol par excellence of the fight for Good which defeats Evil. In the Christian symbolism of the Middle Ages, the circle, a perfect geometric shape which has neither beginning nor end, designates the universe whose centre is the source and thus evokes Jesus, the man-light.

Tongue-shaped pendant with integral loop, obverse with stylised figure of a horseman spearing a creature, lion below and text surrounding 'EIC ΘΕΟϹ Ο ΝΙΚΟΝΤΑ ', reverse with stylised angel and legend '[KONCTA]NTΙΝΟY'. 9.55 grams, 62 mm



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

The amulet has a prophylactic element asking the divine protection of a military saint (probably Saint Sisinnius, or Saint George or Saint Theodore) with the inscription 'Winning for God'. The amulet seems to belong to a certain Konstantinos, probably a soldier.

Piriform body with vertical ribs to the body, interstitial panels of impressed foliage ornament, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 573 grams, 14 cm



From a specialist collection of militaria, London, UK, collected 1990s onwards. 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'.

This piece was a sort of a ceramic fire grenade, similar to the ones used by the Eastern Romans but of Turco-Mongol type. Apart from the use of manual flame-throwers, special corps of soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations, even in Burma.