Western Asiatic Bronze Axehead

Of folding type, composed of a wooden shaft, steel head; with leather sheath with loop. 1.23 kg, 58 cm



The Kusmirek Collection, UK.

Comprising three caltrops, hand-forged with square-section in the form of four welded arrowheads. 34 grams total, 50 mm each



Acquired on the German art market around 2000. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.

Caltrops were a kind of 'landmine' of the ancient world an mentioned in the Classical period. Nevertheless, they turned into real military weapons only in Dark Ages. Their systematic and wide use by the Eastern Romans, who called it tribolos, is noticeable. In 1082, Emperor Alexios Komnenos used caltrops against the Norman cavalry in the Balkans. Anna Komnena tells us in detail of her father’s intentions: ‘He marched against Bohemond with a new idea for victory. He had iron caltrops made and since he expected the battle to take place on the next day, the evening before scattered them over the plain between the two armies at the point where he guessed that the Kelts (the Normans) would make a heavy cavalry attack. The plan was to frustrate the first and irresistible charge when the caltrops pierced the horses’ hooves.’ Unfortunately for the Romans the Normans avoided battle on the ‘minefield’, outflanked the enemy and gained victory.

Featuring wedge-shaped cheeks, a convex cutting edge and rounded terminal. 106 grams, 18.6 cm



UK private collection formed before 2000. Ex North London, UK, gallery.

The flat axe belongs to Type 1, sub-type a.4 of the Çetin-Bilgi classification of flat axes. They have concave-sided blade, rectangular in section, a splayed cutting edge and a narrow butt. The first examples of axe-type weapons appear in the last phase of the Late Chalcolithic Age in the Middle East and Anatolia.