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LOT 0316
Massive Late European Bronze Age Finely Ribbed Socketted Spearhead
CIRCA 10TH CENTURY B.C.
17 3/4 in. (449 grams, 45 cm).
Formed with an elongated leaf-shaped blade, the socket extending into the blade in the form of a tapered mid-rib with decorative raised central grooves.
ProvenanceAcquired from John Cummings, UK, in 1988.
Ex Lord Alistair McAlpine collection.
Cf. Christie's, The Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms and Armour, part 1, London, 2002, pp.10-11, no.5, for similar spearhead.
FootnotesThis spear seems to have parallels to those found in the tombs of the 'sword bearers' of central-southern Europe, an aristocratic class of the Urn Fields civilisation who had its last period of splendour between 10th-9th centuries B.C. The weapons were deposited with various objects inside incineration graves, but the spears were often ritually damaged (see tomb 5 of the necropolis of Pontenuovo di Gazzo Veronese, broken into three parts). Our spear, in the upper part, seems to show traces of oxidation due to the fire of the funeral pyre, and probably came from a tomb.
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LOT 0316
Massive Late European Bronze Age Finely Ribbed Socketted Spearhead
Estimate £800 - 1,000€930 - 1,160 (for guidance only)$1,080 - 1,350 (for guidance only)
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Luristan Bronze Blade
Late 2nd- early 1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £140
Sharply pointed with raised midrib to each face, square shoulders pierced to accept the fixings for the hilt, stub tang. 217 grams, 35.5 cm
Ex German collection, Cologne, 1980-1990s.
The two holes on the shoulders of the blade provided attachment for a separate hilt. This could have been a penannular grip, which can be seen on some swords from Sangtarashan; or in north-west Iranian blades with rectangular guard and flanged hilt, where the guard was rivetted to the blade, like in some swords in the Axel Guttmann collection. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £111
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. -
Ummayad Bronze Spearhead
7th-8th century A.D.Estimate: £300 - 400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £133
Formed with a broadly triangular blade, narrow neck and tapering round-section socket. 245 grams, 34 cm
Ex old English collection. The Kusmirek Collection, UK.
The basic Arabic term for a spear or lance, whether used by cavalry or infantry, was rumh. In the 7th century it normally would have been ten or twelve cubits long, i.e. four and a half metres.
