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LOT 1511
Western Asiatic Bronze Dagger Blade Collection
2200-600 CENTURY B.C.
6 - 9 5/8 in. (321 grams total, 15-24.5 cm).
Comprising four triangular and leaf-shaped blades, one with pierced tang with rivet hole and one pierced through the shoulders with two rivet holes; an arrowhead with strong mid-rib, short tang and narrow foliate blade. [5]
ProvenanceEx London art market, 1980-1990s.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
See Muscarella, O.W., Bronze and Iron Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1988, pp.289ff, for similar arrowhead; for the daggers see Maxwell-Hyslop, R., 'Daggers and swords in Western Asia: a Study from Prehistoric Times to 600BC,' in Iraq, Volume 8, 1946, pp.1-65, pl.III, types 16,27.
FootnotesSome of the daggers represent one of the earliest form of the tangless round-heeled dagger, and the smaller examples were used as knives. Small tanged blades without a rivet, which have sometimes been identified as spearheads, are knives, while the riveted form could be used as a dagger or for domestic purposes.
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9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Piriform in profile with domed mouth; the lower body with three standing birds, concentric circles to the upper body; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 685 grams, 14.5 cm
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'. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
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. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
Piriform in profile with narrow point, deep shoulder and domed mouth; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 125 grams, 79 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'. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
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. -
Chinese Liao Bone Arrowhead
Liao Dynasty, 907-1125 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £7
Conical with a tapering, short tang. 9.3 grams, 11.4 cm
Ex property of a UK gallery, early 2000s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
