Object Description
A Byzantine earthenware hand grenade featuring a hollow bulbous body with a pointed base. To the top, the vessel leads to a short neck and splays out slightly into a thick rim with a small mouth. This allowed the item to be filled with an explosive liquid known as ‘Greek fire’ and used as a hand grenade in battle. The mouth would have also accommodated a fuse to instigate the explosion. As typical for Byzantine grenades this piece displays a geometric pattern to its outer surface. Parallel vertically etched lines decorate the body. Each line consists of either a row of arrows, dashes, cirlces or a straight line incised into the grenade. The base features multiple thick, horizontal grooves with the intention of better grip for the holder. The top is decorated with a similar etched motif of arrows and dashes with in two registers. Three deep grooves have been etched into the neck to create a tiered effect culminating at the rim.
Date: Circa 9th – 11th Century AD