Viking Age Iron Bearded Axehead

With long, deeply curved blade, narrow neck, socket with triangular flanges and incised crossed lines, rectangular extension to the rear. 378 grams, 13.5 cm



Ex North American private collection, 1970s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

A biconical glans with an inscription 'MEP' to one side and 'NA' to the other. 27.5 grams, 28 mm



Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The leaden bullets, which were thrown from slings, were called in Greek Molivdainai (μολύβδαιναι), and in Latin glandes- the former indicating the material ‘lead’, the latter the shape ‘acorns’. These bullets were cast in a mould, and bore letters or devices or both, on two sides or on only one. In form they were more like an almond than an acorn, but many are pointed at both ends; in size, they are generally about one inch and a half maximum length, and under one inch in maximum width. Bullets from Mecyberna possess the abbreviated inscription MER (obverse) and NA (reverse), which some scholar translated as Mecyberna. The presence of the Mecyberna inscription is expected, since the Polis of Mecyberna produced clay moulds, which suggests local production. Inscribed bullets with the name of a city may also denote the place of manufacture

Lentoid in form with raised legend 'AΓOPOY' beneath casting seam. 36.2 grams, 32 mm



Private collection, Austria. Private collection, Europe. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.