Hand grenade. Byzantine Empire. 8th-13th century AD After the fall of Rome in 476 AD, the Eastern part of the Empire was to survive and thrive for centuries, until its fall in 1453 AD. The Byzantine Empire, with its capital in Constantinople, commanded the passage between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, controlling Italy, Southern Spain, Greece, the Balkans, Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and North Africa. Such an empire was held together by a strong and efficient military which witnessed the development of an innovative and sophisticated arsenal. The Greek fire was the most famous incendiary weapon from the Byzantine Empire. It consisted of a combustible compound emitted by a flame-throwing weapon. The formula was a closely guarded state secret, and it still remains a matter of speculation and debate. Byzantine grenades appeared around the reign of Leo III (717-741 AD) as an alternative method to utilize Greek fire in battle. Their average size and the presence of a grip on some examples suggest that the vessels were thrown by hand, thus used in short-range conflicts. These features however, do not exclude the use of Byzantine grenades in long-distance battles. The vessels were most likely hurled at the enemy by catapults or trebuchets and either ignited before release or set alight by fire arrows after the impact. This grenade is made from heavy clay and features a bulbous body with a short cylindrical neck and a small aperture to the top for filling which would have accommodated a fuse to instigate the explosion. Provenance: Purchased by the current owner to an English gallery. Former private collection A.D. (UK; 1990s). The Supplier warrants that he obtained this lot legally. Provenance statement seen by Catawiki. Important information. The seller guarantees that he is entitled to ship this lot. The seller will take care that any necessary permits will be arranged. The seller will inform the buyer about this if this takes more than a few days. Important: For destinations out of Spanish territory: all our objects will be shipped after obtaining CERTIFICATE OF EXPORTATION by Ministry of Culture of Spain. We inform our clients that it may take between 4-8 weeks.