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Turco-Mongol 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade Turco-Mongol 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade Turco-Mongol 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
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Details

LOT 1659

Turco-Mongol 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade

14TH-15TH CENTURY A.D.

7 1/8 in. (1.05 kg, 18 cm).

A hollow vessel with cylindrical body, short neck and domed mouth, band of X-motifs and vertical lines to the body; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. [No Reserve]

Provenance

From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 1990s onwards.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Literature

Cf. Arendt, W. I., Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind, Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p.42; cf. Arendt, W., Die Spharisch-konischen Gefäße aus Gebranntem Ton, ibid; cf. Ayalon, D., Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p.16. 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.

CONDITION
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LOT 1659

Turco-Mongol 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade

Sold for (Inc. bp): £59

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