A pair of small Ancient Greek bronze ballista bolts featuring a pyramidal, square-sectioned heads attached to longer square-section tangs which would have been attached to a wooden shaft. Patination and earthly encrustations to the surface. Chips to the edges of the blades. Ballistae were ancient projectile weapons that launched either bolts or stones at a distant target. Developed from earlier Greek weapons, they relied upon different mechanics, using two levers with torsion springs instead of a tension prod (the bow part of a modern crossbow). Early versions projected heavy darts or spherical stone projectiles of various sizes for siege warfare. It developed into a smaller precision weapon, like 'the scorpio'. Measurements: (circa) L 5.4cm - 7.8cm; Provenance: Ex. London Collection, formed between 1990 - present.