Villanovan Bronze Spear Butt End

Comprising a barrel-shaped lead body with a round-section shaft with a barbed finial. 67.4 grams, 13 cm



Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.

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 metres by trained soldiers.

Piriform in profile with impressed motifs on the shoulder; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 461 grams, 10.5 cm



From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 1990s. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'.

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.

Comprising a slender rectangular-section blade and an ellipsoid socket with a flared lower edge. 116 grams, 12 cm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.