Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead Collection

Comprising: a spatha-type two-edged tapering blade, lentoid in section with sloped shoulders and short tang pierced by an attachment rivet for the grip; traces to both faces of the blade of wooden fibre from the scabbard; edges lightly notched but substantially complete; the lower guard rectangular in plan and scaphoid in section with inset garnet cloisons, triangular along the lower row and heart-shaped above, rectangular at the top, with small rectangular slivers at each end; accompanied by the upper roundel of the pommel, set with four garnet cloisons. 954 grams, 84.5 cm



From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. 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 no. 12357-225921. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

These ‘ceremonial’ swords (in reality widely used in battle) with an inlaid guard are, according to Kazanski, Late Roman in origin. The cloisonné decoration was probably linked with the production of particularly ornamented swords in the ateliers of the Roman capital of Constantinople. This typology of weapon was not only produced as a gift for foreign chiefs allied to the empire, but it was also adopted by the Imperial army, and reserved for the Imperial officers, who were often of Germanic or Asiatic origin.

Comprising six caltrops, hand-forged with square-section spikes. 338 grams total, 76-93 mm



From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.

Caltrops were scattered on battlefields in an effort to stop or slow advancing enemy cavalry or foot soldiers; regardless of how a caltrop lands, one spike is always facing upwards. Caesar used them widely at Alesia (Caes., BG 7.73; 82): 'Stakes a foot long, with iron hooks attached to them, were entirely sunk in the ground before these, and were planted in every place at small intervals; these they called spurs'.

Leaf-shaped with two cutting edges and a broad point, low midrib, on the face an incised 'X' in a square. 15.17 grams, 11.34 cm



Ex Guttman collection, Germany. with Christie's, 28 April 2004, no.27 (part). Acquired from Bidancient and Artifacts UK, 2009. Ex important collection of Greek artefacts, London, UK.

The letter X has been found in various Semitic/Accadic or even Philistine Inscriptions in the Levant: dated between 13th-10th centuries B.C.: on the Lachish bowl no.1, on the Ruweiseh arrowhead, on a Byblian bronze spatula, on the Ahiram graffito, at Yehimilk. This suggests that the arrow or javelin head has been made in the Levant or the Fertile Crescent.