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LOT 1014
North West Persian Short Sword with Blood Channels
2ND-1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
18 in. (19 1/4 in.) (1.18 kg total, 45.5 cm (49 cm including stand)).
With short tang for an organic hilt, the blade showing multiple grooves forming a pronounced mid-rib spanning roughly more than three-quarters of the blade; accompanied by a custom-made display stand.
ProvenanceEx P.A., Hertfordshire, UK, specialist collection of Greek art, 1980-1990s.
LiteratureCf. Christie's, The Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms and Armour, part 2, London, 2004, item 36, p.33.
FootnotesLuristan was hardly an ethnic or political entity, but the people of Luri had relations through warfare and traded with Sumerians, Lullubi, Assyrians, Babylonians and Elamites over a long period of time, spanning from the 3rd to the 2nd millennium B.C. The ruling elites of warrior horsemen were buried with their weapons and horses.
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LOT 1014
North West Persian Short Sword with Blood Channels
Estimate £300 - 400€350 - 460 (for guidance only)$410 - 540 (for guidance only)
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Roman Iron Military Plumbata Head
4th-5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Missile weapon with short iron shaft and square-section barbed head, lead sleeve to the lower end of the shaft. 116 grams, 19 cm
From the collection of B. Posey, UK, 1990s.
The lead-weighted darts known as plumbatae mamillatae, (or breasted javelin) were short darts mounted upon a shaft, of the same shape, and thrown from a short distance. A Roman soldier would typically carry around 5-6 of these darts at any one time, fastened to the back of his shield. They could be thrown overhand or underhand, with an effective throwing range of up to 60 meters by trained soldiers. They could also be fixed upon longer shafts. -
Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead Group
10th-9th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Comprising mainly tanged arrowheads, the most of them having large elongated triangular blades and raised midrib, sharp central groove, cylindrical or squared stem for the shaft, barbed shoulders and convex sides; others with lanceolate head and rounded shoulders with long tang and foliate-section. 103 grams total, 29-68 mm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
The most of these arrowheads, having a lozenge-section midrib with thin blades filed sharp at the edges, are typical of the early Iron Age in Luristan. These arrowheads seem to belong to the type V, subcategory types A, C and D according to the classification of Khorasani and Negahban. In the four categories of triangular bronze arrowheads from Luristan, Marlik, and Northern Iran individuated by Negahban, subtypes C and D of type V are larger arrow or javelin heads, C with barbed shoulders and D with round shoulders. Subtype A is substantially similar to C, but smaller. Similar arrowheads are also visible in the Western Iberian and Balkan cultures in the Early Iron Age. -
Roman Iron Spatha with Remains of Scabbard and Chape
4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,900
With a double-edged blade of Illerup-Wyhl Type, narrow parallel cutting edges tapering towards the point; remains of wooden scabbard on the blade and remains of wooden grip on the hilt; accompanied by a crescent-shaped iron chape. 1.02 kg total, 6.5-94.5 cm
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11924-209661.
The iconographic sources indicate that Roman swords changed in the later 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. Longer swords, which were more popular within Germanic and Celtic cultures and more useful for fighting on horseback, were soon widespread among infantry units and mass-produced in the Roman workshops. They were brought home by foreigners after mercenary or auxiliary service in the Roman army. This, together the possibility of war booty, may explain why a great number of these swords have been found in the distant areas such as Nydam Mose, Eisbøl and Illerup Adal, all in modern Denmark.
