Saw-Butted Percussion Pistol

Composed of a tapering leaf-shaped blade with raised midrib, splayed neck and tapering tang. 637 grams, 49 cm



Acquired on the London art market, prior to 1980s. The Kusmirek Collection, UK.

The weapon belongs to the type 1 of the Khorasani spearhead classification, mainly from Marlik or Amlash areas. Similar pieces have been dated by Stutzinger to 1200-1100 B.C.

Comprising three caltrops, hand-forged with square-section in the form of four welded arrowheads. 34 grams total, 50 mm each



Acquired on the German art market around 2000. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.

Caltrops were a kind of 'landmine' of the ancient world an mentioned in the Classical period. Nevertheless, they turned into real military weapons only in Dark Ages. Their systematic and wide use by the Eastern Romans, who called it tribolos, is noticeable. In 1082, Emperor Alexios Komnenos used caltrops against the Norman cavalry in the Balkans. Anna Komnena tells us in detail of her father’s intentions: ‘He marched against Bohemond with a new idea for victory. He had iron caltrops made and since he expected the battle to take place on the next day, the evening before scattered them over the plain between the two armies at the point where he guessed that the Kelts (the Normans) would make a heavy cavalry attack. The plan was to frustrate the first and irresistible charge when the caltrops pierced the horses’ hooves.’ Unfortunately for the Romans the Normans avoided battle on the ‘minefield’, outflanked the enemy and gained victory.

Comprising a fine double-edged tapering blade, shallow fullers and defined cutting edges showing traces of employment; short, rectangular-section lower guard and tapering tang, tea-cosy pommel of early type; some restoration. 1.2 kg, 92.5 cm



Acquired 1990s-early 2000s. East Anglian private collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The sword is Petersen type X (Petersen, 1919, pp.158ff) and Oakeshott type XI (1991, pp.53ff.), finding good parallels in various similar Viking and Norman age specimens (Peirce, 2002, pp.115 ff.). The overall proportions of our specimen are eye-catching and it is strikingly similar to a pattern-welded sword found with a large number of other objects, at Camp de Péran, Côtes-d'Armor, France, in a 10th century context, probably linked with the early Norman settlers in Normandy or Norman raids in Brittany (Roesdhal, Wilson, 1992, p.321, cat. n.359; Renaud, 2000, p.100).