Medieval Iron Broad Axehead

The hilt with mushroom-shaped pommel, grip decorated with horizontal flat grooves, crescentic guard, long blade with ridged mid-grip. 790 grams, 59 cm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

This category of swords has been classified by Khorasani as 'swords with a mushroom pommel' and are usually characterised by a solid-cast hilt with a penannular guard, a ribbed or variously decorated grip and a conical hollow-cast mushroom pommel. Usually the blade is multi-fullered and tapers to a sharp tip. Moorey considers them to be from the end of the 2nd millennium B.C. Gorelik extends the dating to the 8th-7th century B.C.

Piriform missile with domed filler-hole, petalled decoration to the upper body with pellets, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 431 grams, 10.7 cm



From a specialist London, UK, arms and armour 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. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.

With short foliate blade, shallow midrib and long socketted shaft with fastening holes. 112 grams, 22.8 cm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.