Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead Collection

Small and biconical in profile with narrow point; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 89 grams, 67 mm



From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 1990s onwards. 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 leaf-shaped lentoid-section blade and long tubular socket. 826 grams, 38.5 cm



Ex Hermann Historica, 7 October 2009, no.207 (Part). Private collection, Germany. Kept in the UK from 2016.

Comprising a leaf-shaped blade with a raised midrib extending to the shaft with a flared collar, rectangular-section tang with curved end and a button finial. 608 grams, 34.2 cm



Ex Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.

The type belongs to the category of tripartite lances with a long, pointed biconvex blade and single bevelled tang. In this typology, the blade, of rhomboidal section, is usually well balanced. The stem, medium or short, is widened at its base and forms a fairly clean stop. Elements of the shaft of a similar spear found at Tepe Hissar have allowed the reconstruction of the length of the spear reaching up to 1.40 m.