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LOT 1037
Luristan Bronze Dagger
3RD MILLENNIUM B.C.
10 3/8 in. (147 grams, 26.5 cm).
Composed of a leaf-shaped blade, central slightly raised midrib, separately casted hilt with crescentic guard, rivet hole and lozenge-shaped grip.
ProvenanceEx German collection, Cologne, 1980-1990s.
LiteratureSee Khorasani, M.M., Arms and Armour from Iran. The Bronze Age to the End of the Qajar Period, Tübingen, 2006, s. cat 1-2, for types.
FootnotesEarly bronze daggers from Luristan and Elam had separate casted hilt. Some scholars suggest that arsenic bronze was used in their production, and the handle was separately cast and rivetted to the hilt. Most scholars (Moorey, Mahboubian, Slotta, Vatandust, Khorasani) agree on a 3rd millennium B.C. dating based on the decoration of the hilt.
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LOT 1037
Luristan Bronze Dagger
Estimate £300 - 400€350 - 460 (for guidance only)$410 - 540 (for guidance only)
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Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
Egg-shaped ceramic vessel with domed filler-hole, impressed rings and raised vertical flanges to the shoulder; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 565 gram, 13 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. -
Medieval Crossbow Bolt Group
12th-15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Comprising four bolts with lanceolate-pyramidal heads. 166 grams total, 68-88 mm
From a private European collection, formed in the 1980s. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. -
Amarlu Type Bronze Short Sword
Late 2nd millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,755
Composed of a massive triangular blade with a slightly raised mid-rib flanked by three parallel rows on each side, the guard formed with a pronounced trident shape, ornamented with small geometric square recesses, the hilt with square-section grip incised with four vertical rows of similar square recesses, double broad crescentic open pommel surmounted by a broad raised median rib which links the double crescentic halves; repaired. 911 grams, 53 cm
One horn cracked and repaired
Acquired 1970s-1980s. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
Moorey, analysing similar swords found in Amarlu, stated that the blade and tang were made first, forged to shape by hammering at a high temperature. The next step was to cover the tang with a clayed material. Once dry, this material formed the core for the casting. Then a hollow mould of the exact shape of the shoulder, grooved hilt and pommel was made around the clay core covering the tang. Finally, liquid metal was poured into the mould. The weapon was then finished by hammering the pommel and shoulder to the hilt.
