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LOT 1395
Medieval Iron Incendiary Fire Arrowhead with Pierced Cross
CIRCA 12TH-14TH CENTURY A.D.
4 34/ in. (37 grams, 12.1 cm).
The wide blade with an incised cross motif, pierced through at the end of each arm, long tang with a collar.
ProvenanceAcquired on the French art market.
From the private collection of a Buckinghamshire, UK, gentleman.
The central void was included to allow cloth soaked in tallow to be bound around the arrowhead; this was ignited before shooting.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 1395
Medieval Iron Incendiary Fire Arrowhead with Pierced Cross
Sold for (Inc. bp): £338
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Turco-Mongol 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
13th-15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
A hollow vessel with cylindrical body, carinated shoulder, short neck and domed mouth, bands of impressed herringbone patterns to the shoulder and waist, piriform lower body; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 619 grams, 16.5 cm
From a specialist collection of militaria, London, UK, collected 1990s onwards.
This was a type of 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. -
Saxon to Medieval Iron Knife, Bolt, and Arrowhead Group
6th-15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £13
Including a leaf-shaped tanged arrowhead, lozenge-shaped arrowhead and other types. 56 grams total, 6.3-11 cm
From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
Piriform body with domed filler-hole, the body decorated with vertical palm leaf motifs; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 300 grams, 10.1 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'.
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.
