Luristan Bronze Arrowhead Group

Pear-shaped ceramic vessel with domed filler-hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 594 grams, 12 cm



Ex London, UK, collection, 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. 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.

Featuring a circular opening to receive fuse and plug to one face; hollow-formed. 3.9 kg, 11 cm diameter

Fine condition.

Acquired after 2000. Property of a Buckinghamshire, UK, gentleman.

The shrapnel shell is named after Lieutenant-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842), a British officer who devised the hollow, gunpowder-filled ball that was fused to explode either in the air or on the ground with the resulting ball fragments proving to be an effective anti-personnel weapon; later types were filled with lead musket balls and powder to make the weapon even more effective against troops; such projectiles were used both with field artillery cannon and with mortars.

The leaf-shaped head with full-length midrib to both faces, tapering round-section socket with piercing for attachment to an organic shaft. 70 grams, 22 cm



Ex Surrey collection, formed 1990-2000. Acquired from TimeLine Auctions 2016, lot 162 (part). The Kusmirek Collection, UK.