Mexican Iron and Brass Rowel Spur

Possibly made for a naval long gun, a 'long nine'. 4.3 kg, 98 mm wide



Found in a churchyard in Derbyshire, UK, before 1950. Acquired from the son of the clergyman that found it, in 2004. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.

Type M with rhomboid blade with straight edges, ending in squared angles at the base and narrowing as it merges into the round cross-section socket. 313 grams, 40.7 cm



Ex private collection of Mr M.B., Mainz, Germany, since the 1980s. Acquired from the above, 2004.

This type of spears account for half of the found Viking spears, together with types I,K,G,F. Differently from the previous types of Viking spearheads, side wings do not feature commonly in these typologies. A Viking spear of M type, dated at end of 11th century A.D., was found on the Drastar battlefield, showing a cross intermediary between the blade and the shaft.

Piriform body with domed filler-hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 434 grams, 12.4 cm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. 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.