World's Oldest Grenade?

[Millsman]

Found this in the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford today.





Possibly the worlds oldest grenade. A Greek Fire Grenade.

Found on the site of the Capital of Fustat - Byzantine Egypt's capital and dates from between 641 and 1168 AD.

Found by a British Army officer and archaeologist LCG Clarke. Donated to the museum in 1920.

Interesting?

John

 

[SG500]

Found this in the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford today.

An amazing museum, highly recommended.

https://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/museum


Dave.

 

[reccetrooper]

There are seven 'Greek Fire' hand grenades up for sale on Thursday 25th May, Lots 1827-1833 in Timeline Auctions 5-day sale.
Search for grenade on their website, https://timelineauctions.com/search/

 

[Millsman]

Interesting. Wonder where they came from?

 

[reccetrooper]

Interesting. Wonder where they came from?

No idea. But I have seen 'Greek Fire' grenades for sale on several occasions over the past few years, so either they are not uncommon archaeological finds, they were used as something other than grenades, or maybe they were/are still being made as replica items for tourists?

 

[Millsman]

I suppose the key difference is that the one in the museum has a known place of finding and context with date parameters. The ones up for sale at the auction have no provenance and could come from any time in the history of this weapon.