Description:

Near East/Holy Land, Byzantine Empire, ca. 10th to 12th century CE.A hefty, mold-formed pottery hand grenade with an acorn-shaped body, a rounded shoulder, and a narrow mouth. The body is incised with rows of linear banding, a sign of the legion they are from. Grenades like this were meant to hold the famed and highly combustible substance known "Greek fire," though its exact composition is unknown; scholars posit that the mixture was composed of pine resin, naphtha, quicklime, and sulfur. Size: 3.5" W x 5.5" H (8.9 cm x 14 cm); 6.5" H (16.5 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private prominent D.K. collection, New York, USA, acquired in the 2000s

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#153109

  • Condition: Large surface chip from base that does not puncture through to the interior; otherwise in very nice condition with wear commensurate with age including some scratching and pitting. Great deposits on surface. Surface decoration well preserved and clearly visible.

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February 27, 2020 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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