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LOT 1878
Western Asiatic Bronze Macehead
2ND-1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
3 in. (138 grams, 74 mm).
Tubular in plan with collar to mouth and base, five radiating bulbs.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
LiteratureCf. Gorelik, M., Weapons of Ancient East, IV millennium BC-IV century BC, Saint Petersburg, 2003, pl.XXX, no.61, for type.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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LOT 1878
Western Asiatic Bronze Macehead
Estimate £150 - 200€170 - 230 (for guidance only)$200 - 270 (for guidance only)
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Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
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Ovoid in profile with domed filler hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 370 grams, 10.4 cm
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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.
