Western Asiatic Bronze Tanged Spearhead

Lentoid section with a raised 'keel' to one end, depicting a stylised scorpion. 25.75 grams, 43 mm



Ex Simmons Gallery, London E11, UK, in the 1990s. From a North London collection.

The sling (funda) with its lead (plumbea pondera) and stone missiles was used by special funditores, illustrated on Trajan’s Column where they are dressed in broad tunics with no armour, but carry a shield. Interestingly, this glans has the emblem usually associated with the Praetorian Guard - the scorpion. It was an emblem also used in Ptolemaic Egypt, and it is not impossible that this bullet could be Ptolemaic or Romano-Egyptian. We believe this bullet could be associated with the Praetorian regiments which means this could be one of the first pieces of evidence for their use.

Comprising four tanged arrowheads, two with elongated triangular blades and raised midrib, sharp central groove, cylindrical stem with handle for the shaft; one with barbed shoulders and convex sides; one with narrow and flattened blade and short tang; the javelin head with slightly rounded shoulders, lanceolate shape and flattened blade. 164 grams total, 13.1-17.8 cm



From London art market, acquired in 1990s. Ex C.J. Martin, London, UK. Accompanied by a copy of the Spanish export licence.

These types of arrowheads were commonly used in Anatolia and Mesopotamia from the 2nd millennium B.C., but it appears that their employment began earlier in this area, where types like these occur alongside the non-barbed, predominantly ribbed and tanged types.

Montefortino helmet with bulbous domed skull and a plain crest knob with flattened top; plain and flat neck guard with thickened rim; the front with punched Latin inscription 'A N CFN'; the surface largely covered in marine encrustations; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 2.2 kg, 28 cm (4 kg total, 45 cm high including stand)



Private European collection, acquired 2001. 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 searcher certificate no.11576-198953.

This Montefortino specimen belongs to type C or D of Robinson’s classification, also identified under the continental system as Buggenum. The helmets of this category, mainly legionary helmets, were produced in mass by the state to be supplied to the troops fighting in the civil wars of the 1st century B.C. Artistic sources of the same period provide evidence for the use of Montefortino and Buggenum type helmets in sea battles, which has been confirmed by archaeological finds from the Albenga ship. Legionary helmets bore punched inscriptions, indicating the name of the wearer and the unit, i.e. cohors, centuria or turma. Here the punched letters 'AN' refer probably to the initials of the owner (Ancus N.?), and 'CFN' to centuria of Fabius C.