Western Asiatic Tanged Bronze Spearhead

Double-edged battle axe with broad trapezoidal blade elongated towards the bottom, with rhomboidal and blunt fixing hole shaft, the opposite end formed by a long and thick spike. 411 grams, 22.7 cm



Ex USA private collection, 1970s-1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The double-edged axe was used by the Roman cavalry between the 9th and 11th centuries. The correspondence of this example with the types described by Emperor Leo VI the Wise, is surprising: it is clear that this typology was not a working tool but a war axe, suitable for breaking helmets, breastplates, shields and skulls since it inflicted devastating blows to the head and arms by damaging the protective equipment.

A pugio military dagger with waisted leaf-shaped blade, rounded midrib, rectangular rivetted baluster, short grip with crescent pommel. 235 grams, 30.6 cm



Ex North American private collection, 1970s-1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The pugio appeared as a side weapon of the Roman legionary in the 2nd century B.C. However, its full diffusion within the Roman army begun with Caesar and Augustus, where it appeared as the reserve weapon for the heavy infantryman. The present specimen belongs to the Celtiberian tribes who fought against the Roman army in the 2nd century B.C., but represents one of the first prototypes adopted from the Iberians by the Roman legionaries.

With short, cylindrical socket to rear, narrow neck, flared blade with curved cutting edge; underside of the blade swept in a gentle curve; short flanges above and below the rear of the socket; decorated overall with finely engraved silver inlays forming two dragons and interlace patterns (probably not original); provided with a display stand. 390 grams, 15.7 cm (813 grams total, 26.2 cm high including stand)



Acquired 1982 in Kaliningrad and transported to Riga in 1986, moved to East Berlin in 1988, and again to Germany in 2000, then UK in 2014. Ex West London collection. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate no.S00141022. 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 search certificate number no.12476-228759. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.