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LOT 1533
Western Asiatic Bronze Short Sword with Integral Hilt
LATE 3RD-2ND MILLENNIUM B.C.
16 1/2 in. (881 grams, 42 cm).
With a broad, lentoid-section flat blade, rounded tip, sloping sides, well marked shoulders with short, wide tang.
ProvenanceAcquired on the UK art market before 2000.
Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
Cf. Inassa, M., 'Daggers in ancient Mesopotamia' in Journal of Archaeological Research and Studies, vol.2, March 2018, pp.1-27, fig.1, p.26.
FootnotesThe sword has similarities with a specimen from the Royal Cemetery of Ur. This is the most primitive form of dagger, consisting of a simple, pointed blade having slightly convex outline shoulders sloping to a short tang which has no rivets, and was probably hafted to wood with bitumen.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 1533
Western Asiatic Bronze Short Sword with Integral Hilt
Estimate £200 - 300€230 - 350 (for guidance only)$270 - 410 (for guidance only)
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Medieval Iron Swallow-Tailed Arrowhead
14th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
With narrow curved edges and tapering socket. 8.08 grams, 52 mm
Acquired from Coincraft, London, UK. From the private collection of Kenneth Machin (1936-2020), Buckinghamshire, UK; with collection no.M36; his collection of antiquities and natural history was formed since 1948; thence by descent. Accompanied by an original certificate of authenticity from Coincraft. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. -
Bactrian Bronze Claw Axehead-Mace
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Egg-shaped with spiked sleeves or prongs, the top of the weapon with a narrow edge. 190 grams, 10.9 cm
Acquired on the UK art market before 2000. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
The 'claw mace' was an enigmatic ancient bronze weapon from the Bronze Age Near East. The hollow bulbous head was trailed by tines of varying lengths. It is believed that it was affixed over a wooden shaft and used like a club in combat, and not necessarily used as ceremonial weapon. The knife edge bulb end could have broken bones and proven to be a formidable striking weapon requiring no skill to wield. The tines would have not only been decorative, but have served to add strength below the striking end to prevent breakage. In battle, maces were often used by commanders to display rank when giving orders in battle and leading soldiers, inspiring leadership and power. Egg-shaped with spiked sleeves or prongs, the top of the weapon with a narrow edge, the sleeves with small internal tangs for mounting. -
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North-Western Persian Type Bronze Blade
Early 1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £80 - 100 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £44
With tapering triangular blade, having straight shoulders, flat midrib and tapering square-sectioned tang ending with a rounded pommel. 99 grams, 33 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
Moorey, Gordon and Khorasani created a classification of bladed weapons, according to which daggers are edged weapons not greater than 36cm in length, dirks (short swords) are between 36cm and 50cm in length, and swords are edged weapons greater than 50cm in length.
