Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Fire Bomb or Grenade. 9th-11th century A.D. A piriform ceramic fire bomb with domed mouth and knop base, raised lugs to the circumference and prick dot chevrons; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. cf. Arendt, W. I., Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind, Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p.42; cf. Arendt, W., Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton, ibid; Ayalon, D., Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p.16. 470 grams, 11.6 cm (4 1/2 in.) Acquired on the UK art market, 2000s. Property of an Essex gentleman. 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 (??????? k???????) 9th-11th century AD. Such weapons were initially used by the Romans, and later adopted by other civilisations. There were two varieties of the mixture known as 'Greek Fire’: the first thrown by siphons; the second consisting of an explosive mixture contained in a terracotta vessel, used mostly during land battles and sieges. This second mixture was also known to Islamic civilisations, for which there is evidence in the depot saved from the fire in old Cairo in 1168 AD. [No Reserve]

Fine condition.