Viking Iron Fighting Broad Axehead

A complete set of military belt fittings of Martinovka type, comprising forty-eight elements: two massive shield-shaped buckles, the buckle plate with a central chip-carved mask-shaped decoration, the hinged prong of rectangular form with rounded terminal; twelve shield-shaped belt pendants with wavy edges and the bottom ending in a sharp angle; ten decorative rosettes; twelve belt pendants in the form of a double crescent, with mask-shaped decoration on the oval head, decorated with chip-carved comma and dot ornaments; one pendant of the same typology fitted with a circular massive ring for the suspension; two massive circular phalerae, decorated with a double cross, one ornamented with volutes at the end of the arms, the other with five massive bosses at the sides and centre; two shield-shaped pendants with projections for the fastening of elements; two small rectangular buckles; three trapezoidal openwork pendants and two further small drop-shaped pendants. 722 grams total, 16.08-79.52 mm



From the private family collection of a lady, UK; acquired in Germany mid-20th century. 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 number no.13249-253196.

These belt elements, which form the fittings of at least two belts, are typical of the Roman garrisons of Black Sea and the Balkans, for the late 6th and the 7th century A.D. They were connected especially with Gothic and Alan soldiers militating in the Roman army, and considered part of the Martinovka typology by the academics. Numerous finds of these multi-part belt sets have been found in the area between the Balkans, the north-northeastern Pontus region, the Kama region in the northeast, and the Caspian Sea in the east. The range of the type includes areas controlled by the Avars and the Roman Empire, the south-Danubian region (Moesia II: Beroe, Callatis, Tropaeum Traiani, Ibida, Argamum), the Carpathian area, the northern Black Sea, the Caucasus and up to the Euphrates and other areas of Europe; these elements should therefore be seen as a ‘multi-ethnic’ or ‘international’ element. They were used to hold two types of offensive weapons: a quiver with arrows, and bladed weapons such as the spatha, and the shorter culter venatorius.

Piriform in profile with a domed mouth and a stepped neck; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 505 grams, 15.7 cm



From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 1990s.

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.

Of cylindrical form with a raised collar at each end, one side depicting a nude male with a projecting grotesque head, the other side with a projecting ram's head with a long, curving serpent below, two crescentic wings projecting from the upper part of the socket. 285 grams, 98 mm



Acquired before 1983. Ex London gallery, 1990s. Private collection, London, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13258-253387.

Maces in the Middle East had always had a double function since the early periods: a) as a weapon and b) as a status symbol or symbol of rank and office. The bull-headed mace, called gorz-e gavsar in Persian, was already in use in the ancient Elam and Luristan, and was also common in religious ceremonies.