A Stunning Ancient Roman Ist Century AD, Galloping Oryx Intaglio Engraved Bronze 'Status' Seal Ring.

Henig type Xb bronze Roman ring around 1900 years old. In copper bronze with great, natural age patination. Beautifully carved intaglio seal detail of an oryx in full flight.

From a small collection of British recovered original Roman rings, all in excavated condition, found in the 19th century from the same location. Examples of this type can be found in Henig, M. (1974) A corpus of engraved gemstones from British Sites, British Archaeological Reports 8 (II): 90.

The oryx has a most interesting history through ancient times, firstly representing the image of the Egyptian God Set, Ancient Egyptian god and patron of the 11th province, of Upper Egypt. A trickster, he was a sky god, lord of the desert, and master of storms, disorder, and warfare. He was the brother of Osiris, whom he killed, and he was antagonistic to Horus, the child of Osiris’s sister, Isis. Seth’s cult largely died out in the 1st millennium BC, and he was gradually ousted from the Egyptian pantheon. He was later regarded as entirely evil and identified as a god of the Persians and other invaders of Egypt.and later as the likely source in the earliest mistaken translations of the Bible as the unicorn of mythology.

Depictions of this magical and beautiful animal have been found on ancient seals, Egyptian Greek and Roman, and early Greek writers believed the unicorn originated from India. Re’em is the Hebrew name for oryx, but the Jewish ancient scholars were confused by the descriptions in the Old Testament. The original Jewish texts mention nothing about the animals horns, but the King's scribe chose, despite this, to call the animal monoceros, which can be translated into "a horn" singular. The translation was continued when the Jewish texts became the Old Testament. The Bible mentions the unicorn seven times

The engraved intaglio seal ring was important for displaying the Roman's status. For example Tiberius, who was after all left-handed according to Suetonius, thus displays a ring in his bronze portrait as the Pontifex Maximus: The complete Roman Empire had around a 60 million population and a census more perfect than many parts of the world (to collect taxes, of course) but identification was still quite difficult and aggravated even more because there were a maximum of 17 men names and the women received the name of the family in feminine and a number (Prima for First, Secunda for Second…). A lot of people had the same exact name.
So the Roman proved the citizenship by inscribing themselves (or the slaves when they freed them) in the census, usually accompanied with two witnesses. Roman inscribed in the census were citizens and used an iron or bronze ring to prove it. With Augustus, those that could prove a wealth of more than 400,000 sesterces were part of a privileged class called Equites (knights) that came from the original nobles that could afford a horse. The Equites were middle-high class and wore a bronze or gold ring to prove it, with the famous Angusticlavia (a tunic with an expensive red-purple twin line). Senators (those with a wealth of more than 1,000,000 sesterces) also used the gold ring and the Laticlave, a broad band of purple in the tunic.

So the rings were very important to tell from a glimpse of eye if a traveller was a citizen, an equites or a senator, or legionary. People sealed and signed letters with the rings and its falsification could bring death.
The fugitive slaves didn’t have rings but iron collars with texts like “If found, return me to X” which also helped to recognise them. The domesticus slaves (the ones that lived in houses) didn’t wore the collar but sometimes were marked. A ring discovered 50 years ago is now believed to possibly be the ring of Pontius Pilate himself, and it was the same copper-bronze form ring as is this one.

Limestone architectural fragment; a door jamb, part of a doorway. From the temple of Set (which was built by Thutmosis III) at Ombos, Egypt. 18th Dynasty. The Petrie Museum

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading  read more

Code: 25137

A “Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer” (Auxiliary Cruiser War Badge From One Of Ian Fleming’s Naval Intelligence Section’s So Called ‘Red Indians’ 30 Commando Special Engineering Unit

A “Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer” (Auxiliary Cruiser War Badge). See photos 9 and 10 in the gallery.

Bomb disposal sections of special engineering units in wartime Europe {so called Fleming’s “Red Indians” } were a vital part of clandestine warfare, and all parts of the units combat service were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, bomb disposal, and combined with recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment for intelligence gathering. Reporting all elements of their findings back to CoCO, and by them to the Admiralty. Fleming referred to such brave men as his ‘Red Indians’. see Casino Royale for reference.

All the badges, clasps and buckles are offered for sale separately. A “Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer” (Auxiliary Cruiser War Badge). Although a relatively innocuous title the German Auxiliary Cruisers were also known as Hitler's Secret Pirate Fleet: The Deadliest Ships of World War II, a formidable secret weapon of maritime warfare in WW2. These few merchant ships, were called 'commerce raiders', that concealed incredible hidden firepower that could easily sink and destroy allied warships that came too close while the German vessel was pretending to be a harmless fishing or merchant vessel etc. in distress. Within their first year of operation seven such merchant commerce raiders sunk 80 allied ships.

At first the Kriegsmarine had no plans to use commerce raiders, despite their use in the First World War and interwar thought about their use. Armed merchant cruisers of the type used by the British were too big, too hard to disguise and keep supplied with fuel. Ordinary merchant ships were a better prospect, especially those with a long range and were easier to alter to look like neutral and Allied ships to deceive their targets and Allied warships. Planning began soon after the declarations of war and by the end of September a first wave of six ships had been identified.

Each ship would need a crew of 284 men, six 150 mm guns, four 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, four torpedo tubes, provision for 400 mines and two seaplanes aircraft. The ships needed to be at sea for a year, cruising for 40,000 nmi (74,000 km; 46,000 mi). The first raider was to sail in November 1939 but it took until 31 March 1940 before the first raider sailed and July before all of the first wave had departed. By March 1941 the seven raiders in action had sunk or taken 80 ships of 494,291 gross register tons (GRT).

The British navy had the very same secret combat vessels called Q-Ships during WW1
The WWII German naval campaign against Allied shipping was not waged only with naval vessels. Eleven merchant ships were also specially equipped by the German Navy with a variety of anti-ship weapons. These armed ships, disguised as peaceful merchant vessels, patrolled shipping lanes. To recognize the bravery of the crews of these vessels, the German Navy commander Grossadmiral Erich Raeder introduced a special award, “Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer” (Auxiliary Cruiser War Badge), on April 24, 1941. The badge was designed by Ernst Peekhaus and featured a Viking ship sailing on a northern hemisphere, surrounded by a wreath, and surmounted by a German national eagle and swastika emblem. They were made in silver, Tombak, and zinc. The entire badge was gilt with the exception of the globe, which had a gray finish. The globe could be integral to the badge, or could be a separate piece, affixed with a single rivet. The badge was awarded to the crews of ships that completed successful long-range voyages. It could also be awarded for exceptional leadership on a voyage and was automatically awarded to any sailors wounded in action on such a vessel. Because there were not many of these disguised merchant vessels, the Auxiliary Cruiser Badge was made in very limited numbers, likely, not more than 2,500, and likely most of those ended up at the bottom of the seas and oceans with their drowned owners still within their sunken vessels.

Pinguin was once of the most infamous of the small fleet of German auxiliary cruisers (Hilfskreuzer) which served as a commerce raider in the Second World War. The Pinguin was known to the Kriegsmarine as Schiff 33, and designated HSK 5. The most successful commerce raider of the war, she was known to the British Royal Navy as Raider F. The name Pinguin means penguin in German.

At first the Kriegsmarine had no plans to use commerce raiders, despite their use in the First World War and interwar thought about their use. Armed merchant cruisers of the type used by the British were too big, too hard to disguise and keep supplied with fuel. Ordinary merchant ships were a better prospect, especially those with a long range and were easier to alter to look like neutral and Allied ships to deceive their targets and Allied warships. Planning began soon after the declarations of war and by the end of September a first wave of six ships had been identified.

Each ship would need a crew of 284 men, six 150 mm guns, four 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, four torpedo tubes, provision for 400 mines and two seaplanes aircraft. The ships needed to be at sea for a year, cruising for 40,000 nmi (74,000 km; 46,000 mi). The first raider was to sail in November 1939 but it took until 31 March 1940 before the first raider sailed and July before all of the first wave had departed. By March 1941 the seven raiders in action had sunk or taken 80 ships of 494,291 gross register tons (GRT).

See for ref; Duffy, James P. (2005). Hitler's Secret Pirate Fleet: The Deadliest Ships of World War II.

AUXILIARY CRUISER BADGE BY C.E. JUNCKER
An Auxiliary Cruiser Badge (Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer) constructed of gilded and silvered tombak, the obverse consisting of an oval oak leaf wreath, surmounted by a Kriegsmarine eagle clutching a mobile swastika, around a central depiction of a Viking longship sailing over the Northern Hemisphere. This badge is the second to be offered from the collection. The reverse includes a block-style hinge banjo pin with a classic flat wire catch soldered directly to the badge, unmarked but attributed to C.E. Juncker. It has no damage or repairs in very good condition.

A highly desired pieces! all uncleaned unpolished, kept just as is, untouched and unmolested for the past 80 years

The brain child of naval commander Ian Fleming & Lord Louis Mountbatten, 30 {30AU} Commando, this wartime unit was a secret well kept for over 50 years after the war by the Official Secrets Act, some remains classified, see Reading. At the time, officially, they didn’t exist. The members of this unit were forbidden to discuss or document their activities, a pledge that many of the men kept even many years after the war was over, or even for their entire lives!
Due to the fact these men operated in very small groups on ‘need-to-know’ basis it is very difficult to get clear picture of everything they were doing.
Fleming’s/NID30AU secretary Miss Margaret Priestley (a history professor from Leeds University) played a vital role in the running and administration of 30AU and became his inspiration for Miss Petty Pettaval - the original character name that became Miss Moneypenny.
As revealed here for the first time!(6) (see Beau Bête)
Miss Preistley transferred over to NID30AU during the winter of 1943-44 from DNR - (Department of Naval Research) where she worked as a civilian, although there were obvious links between DNR and NID30AU as intelligence on enemy targets was collected for Fleming’s ‘Black List’.

Also Known as:
Fleming himself referred to the men of the unit as behaving like 'Red Indians'. (A reference he also used when referring to his character, James Bond, four times in his first novel Casino Royale. Which effectively makes this unit the ‘literary James Bond’s wartime unit’.)
Formerly:- (NID30 Command Office at Admiralty),
Special Engineering Unit.
'RED' Marines.
Latterly:- 30 Assault Unit,
 30 Advanced Unit, 30AU
 and incorrectly as 30th Assault Unit.
The number '30' was used for no better reason than it was NID/Miss Priestley’s Office Door number at the Admiralty. (Fleming’s Office was No. 39) 'Assault Unit' was 'overt' cover for the fact that they were intelligence gathering.
Date Founded: 30 September 1942
Date Disbanded: 26 March 1946
Date Reformed: February 2010 - 30 Cdo IXG
Mission When Founded:
The collection of technical intelligence and personnel from enemy headquarters and installations. Ahead of allied advances and before enemy could destroy it, to ‘Attain by Surprise’.

30 Commando consisted of Royal Marine, Army and Royal Navy elements that were organised into three Sections: No. 33, No. 34 and No.36 respectively. Initially code-named the Special Engineering Unit, the unit reported to the Chief of Combined Operations, though the Admiralty retained ultimate control of No.36 Section. No.35 Section was left vacant for the RAF to utilise but they never raised a troop to participate in 30 Cdo. Although they did supply intelligence officers and specific targets to pursue after D-Day for ‘Operation Crossbow’.
Unit members were given general commando skills and weapons training, and were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment. Parachute training, small boat handling, recognition of enemy documents, search techniques including lock picking and safecracking, prisoner handling, photography and escape techniques were also taught.
A significant number of the initial recruits were formerly policemen. Although at least one ‘expert’ was recruited straight from prison, thought by the police to be the best safe-breaker in England at the time.
30 Cdo’s operational tactic was to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert missions into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture intelligence, in the form of equipment, documents, codes or enemy personnel. 30 Cdo often worked closely with the Intelligence Corps' Field Security sections. More often than not each team consisted of two special operations Jeeps (As used by the SAS and 30AU) manned by one Naval Commander in possession of a ‘Black Book’ which listed targets from Ian Fleming’s famous ‘Black List’. The Naval Commander was the only man in each team who knew where and what the targets actually were. This Naval Commander was usually accompanied by at least one weapons expert or scientist who he relied on to evaluate the information or equipment they encountered. There were also usually at least six Royal Marines and one RM Officer whose main job was to do any fighting required and to keep the Naval Commander and any experts alive and out of trouble. (For details Reading section.)
The individual Sections served in all the Mediterranean and NW European operational theatres, usually operating independently, gathering information from captured facilities. The unit served in North Africa, the Greek Islands, Norway, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, and Corsica, 1942-1943 as 30 Commando.
s the Allies broke through 30AU split into many ‘Field Teams’ and these were responsible for capturing many and varied targets throughout Germany.
Team 2 under Curtis captured Prof. Helmut Walter, designer of the Me163 Rocket Plane and Midget Submarines at Kiel. (Kept by the British!).
Team 5 under USN Lambie captured Prof. Herbert Wagner (10) (Handed to US Agents) designer of the guided flying bomb Hs293, already used to sink HMS Egret and to kill over 1000 troops on HMT Rohna. He went on to work for the US Navy. He did not surrender in Bavaria with Dornberger and the von Braun brothers as the Allied military would have us believe. (2) (see Reading section).
The capture of Prof. Magnus von Braun (Martin) V2 fuel chemist. (Handed to US Agents). He did not surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe. (see Reading for details)
The capture of the designer of the Nazi V2 (who went on to the NASA Saturn V), Prof. von Braun and his brother. (Some men were convinced they were some of the scientists they caught!) Did they surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe or was that staged afterwards? (see Beau Bête for details and FREE preview PDF, in Reading)
Team 55 under Glanville captured the entire Nazi Naval records collection at ‘Tambach Castle’. (1)
Team 4 under Job(e) captured the Bremen dockyards with type 21 & 25 submarines and destroyers. Then took the surrender of Bremerhaven and captured Naval HQ SS Europa and Z29 Destroyer. (1)(All handed over to US Agents).
Team 2 Postlethwaite captures the Torpedo testing facility at Ekenförde. (1)
Another team captured Admiral Dönitz (as Führer).
And many other things yet to be revealed by the government!
Ref; https://www.30au.co.uk
An amazing historic collection of information, including. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beau-B%C3%A9te-assigned-Flemings-intelligence/dp/B08R7XYHXW  read more

Code: 25705

A Superb & Early Kriegsmarine High Seas Fleet Badge by Adolf Bock Ausf Schwerin, Berlin {Flottenkriegsabzeichen} From One Of Ian Fleming’s Naval Intelligence Section’s So Called ‘Red Indians’ 30 Commando Special Engineering Unit

From an Interesting historical Collection Of Original German Third Reich Luftwaffe & Kriegsmarine Combat Badges & Awards & An SS & Army Buckle, Collected During WW2 By A 30 Commando British Bomb Disposal Officer. Untouched Since 1945, & Stored As Is For 80 Years. These ‘Red Indians’ commandos were mentioned twice in Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, as an ‘honourable mention’ to Fleming’s secret service in Naval Intelligence in WW2.

Bomb disposal sections of special engineering units {Fleming’s so called ‘Red Indians} in wartime Europe were a vital part of clandestine warfare, and all parts of the units combat service were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, bomb disposal, and combined with recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment for intelligence gathering. Reporting all elements of their findings back to CoCO, and by them to the Admiralty. Fleming referred to such brave men as his ‘Red Indians’. see Casino Royale for reference.


KRIEGSMARINE HIGH SEAS FLEET BADGE BY ADOLF BOCK AUSF SCHWERIN BERLIN
A nice early Kriegsmarine High Seas Fleet Badge by Adolf Bock Ausf Schwerin, Berlin (Flottenkriegsabzeichen) constructed in tombac. The obverse of the badge has a nice gilt finish and patina with sharp detail. The reverse of the decoration has t


The maker’s mark “FEC. ADOLF BOCK AUSF. SCHWERIN BERLIN” complete with a vertical block hinge and flat wire catch. The badge has no damage or repairs in very good condition by desirable maker.
The design was created by the well known artist Adolf Bock of Berlin and the design was approved and adopted in 1941 by the then Grand Admiral Raeder, Commander in Chief of the German Navy. Although the award was instituted in 1941, awards could be rendered in retrospect of service from the beginning of World War II.

The brain child of naval commander Ian Fleming & Lord Louis Mountbatten, 30 Commando, this wartime unit was a secret well kept for over 50 years after the war by the Official Secrets Act, some remains classified. At the time, officially, they didn’t exist. The members of this unit were forbidden to discuss or document their activities, a pledge that many of the men kept even many years after the war was over, or even for their entire lives!
Due to the fact these men operated in very small groups on ‘need-to-know’ basis it is very difficult to get clear picture of everything they were doing.
Fleming’s/NID30AU secretary Miss Margaret Priestley (a history professor from Leeds University) played a vital role in the running and administration of 30AU and became his inspiration for Miss Petty Pettaval - the original character name that became Miss Moneypenny.
As revealed here for the first time! (see Beau Bête)

Miss Preistley transferred over to NID30AU during the winter of 1943-44 from DNR - (Department of Naval Research) where she worked as a civilian, although there were obvious links between DNR and NID30AU as intelligence on enemy targets was collected for Fleming’s ‘Black List’.

Also Known as: Fleming's 'Red Indians'
Fleming himself referred to the men of the unit as behaving like 'Red Indians'. (A reference he also used when referring to his character, James Bond, four times in his first novel Casino Royale. Which effectively makes this unit the ‘literary James Bond’s wartime unit’.)
Formerly:- (NID30 Command Office at Admiralty),
Special Engineering Unit.
'RED' Marines.
Latterly:- 30 Assault Unit,
 30 Advanced Unit, 30AU
 and incorrectly as 30th Assault Unit.
The number '30' was used for no better reason than it was NID/Miss Priestley’s Office Door number at the Admiralty. (Fleming’s Office was No. 39, see photo in the gallery of Fleming in room 39 of the Admiralty) 'Assault Unit' was 'overt' cover for the fact that they were intelligence gathering.
Date Founded: 30 September 1942
Date Disbanded: 26 March 1946
Date Reformed: February 2010 - 30 Cdo IXG
Mission When Founded:
The collection of technical intelligence and personnel from enemy headquarters and installations. Ahead of allied advances and before enemy could destroy it, to ‘Attain by Surprise’.

30 Commando consisted of Royal Marine, Army and Royal Navy elements that were organised into three Sections: No. 33, No. 34 and No.36 respectively. Initially code-named the Special Engineering Unit, the unit reported to the Chief of Combined Operations, though the Admiralty retained ultimate control of No.36 Section. No.35 Section was left vacant for the RAF to utilise but they never raised a troop to participate in 30 Cdo. Although they did supply intelligence officers and specific targets to pursue after D-Day for ‘Operation Crossbow’.
Unit members were given general commando skills and weapons training, and were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment. Parachute training, small boat handling, recognition of enemy documents, search techniques including lock picking and safecracking, prisoner handling, photography and escape techniques were also taught.
A significant number of the initial recruits were formerly policemen. Although at least one ‘expert’ was recruited straight from prison, thought by the police to be the best safe-breaker in England at the time.
30 Cdo’s operational tactic was to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert missions into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture intelligence, in the form of equipment, documents, codes or enemy personnel. 30 Cdo often worked closely with the Intelligence Corps' Field Security sections. More often than not each team consisted of two special operations Jeeps (As used by the SAS and 30AU) manned by one Naval Commander in possession of a ‘Black Book’ which listed targets from Ian Fleming’s famous ‘Black List’. The Naval Commander was the only man in each team who knew where and what the targets actually were. This Naval Commander was usually accompanied by at least one weapons expert or scientist who he relied on to evaluate the information or equipment they encountered. There were also usually at least six Royal Marines and one RM Officer whose main job was to do any fighting required and to keep the Naval Commander and any experts alive and out of trouble. (For details Reading section.)
The individual Sections served in all the Mediterranean and NW European operational theatres, usually operating independently, gathering information from captured facilities. The unit served in North Africa, the Greek Islands, Norway, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, and Corsica, 1942-1943 as 30 Commando.

As the Allies broke through 30AU split into many ‘Field Teams’ and these were responsible for capturing many and varied targets throughout Germany.
Team 2 under Curtis captured Prof. Helmut Walter, designer of the Me163 Rocket Plane and Midget Submarines at Kiel. (Kept by the British!).
Team 5 under USN Lambie captured Prof. Herbert Wagner (Handed to US Agents) designer of the guided flying bomb Hs293, already used to sink HMS Egret and to kill over 1000 troops on HMT Rohna. He went on to work for the US Navy. He did not surrender in Bavaria with Dornberger and the von Braun brothers as the Allied military would have us believe..
The capture of Prof. Magnus von Braun (Martin) V2 fuel chemist. (Handed to US Agents). He did not surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe.
The capture of the designer of the Nazi V2 (who went on to the NASA Saturn V), Prof. von Braun and his brother. (Some men were convinced they were some of the scientists they caught!) Did they surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe or was that staged afterwards? (see Beau Bête for details and FREE preview PDF, in Reading)
Team 55 under Glanville captured the entire Nazi Naval records collection at ‘Tambach Castle’.
Team 4 under Job(e) captured the Bremen dockyards with type 21; 25 submarines and destroyers. Then took the surrender of Bremerhaven and captured Naval HQ SS Europa and Z29 Destroyer. (All handed over to US Agents).
Team 2 Postlethwaite captures the Torpedo testing facility at Ekenförde.
Another team captured Admiral Dönitz (as Führer).
And many other things yet to be revealed by the government!
Ref; https://www.30au.co.uk
An amazing historic collection of information, including. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beau-B%C3%A9te-assigned-Flemings-intelligence/dp/B08R7XYHXW

Photos in the gallery of;
Fleming in his wartime office, Room 39 of the Admiralty, Whitehall.

Admiral Otto Ciliax
Generaladmiral Oskar Kummetz
Fregattenkapitän Ernst Dominik

All the above Kriegsmarine officers are wearing the High Seas Fleet Badge.  read more

Code: 25708

A Very Good Original, WW2, Kriegsmarine Coastal Artillery Combat Badge Kriegsabzeichen für die Marineartillerie By Friedrich Linden of Lüdenscheid. From One Of Ian Fleming’s Naval Intelligence Section’s So Called ‘Red Indians’ 30 Commando Special Engineer

An original Kriegsmarine Coastal artillery badge by by FLL 43 – Friedrich Linden of Lüdenscheid constructed in zinc with nice gilt finish. . A zinc produced piece with a great amount of gold finish remaining. The Kriegsmarine maintained a large ground force, organized along the same lines as the German Army, which was known as the Marine-Infanterie . Kriegsmarine naval artillery and anti-aircraft crews were considered as shore personnel. Artillery units were organized into either regiments or sections while flak units were maintained in brigades and regiments. Both types of units were assigned to various ports and harbors and thus were under the direct operational authority of both the port commanders as well as the commander harbour security forces. During actual invasion of coastal regions by enemy forces, these units became part of the sea defense zones.
The Naval Artillery War Badge or War Badge for the Coastal Artillery (German: Kriegsabzeichen für die Marineartillerie) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to the crews of Kriegsmarine land-based marine artillery and anti-aircraft units. It was presented to personnel of coastal defense units, and anti-aircraft units. The award was instituted on 24 June 1941 by Grand Admiral Erich Raeder to reward the actions of both individuals and crew members. It was also awarded to those killed in action in said units

From a former special engineering unit {Ian Fleming’s so called ‘Red Indians} in wartime Europe were a vital part of clandestine warfare, and all parts of the units combat service were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, bomb disposal, and combined with recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment for intelligence gathering. Reporting all elements of their findings back to CoCO, and by them to the Admiralty. Fleming referred to such brave men as his ‘Red Indians’. see Casino Royale for reference.

There were seven active Marinekustenten-Bataillons or MKBs consisting of two to six companies each, prior to the invasion of Norway. These battalions were charged initially with protecting the coasts and harbors of Germany. With the fall of Norway, France, and the Low Countries, these units were expanded to include four large-caliber naval batteries between Calais and Boulogne. These were to be used during the planned invasion of Britain to provide the initial shore bombardment of the Dover Area and prevent the Royal Navy from interfering with the invasion fleet.

When the invasion was scrubbed in late 1940 in favor of starving Britain into submission, additionally Navy Artillery and Flak companies were formed to protect the many U-Boot bases being built along the Atlantic Coast. In mid-1941, battalions were formed to fortify the Channel Islands and the coast of Norway.

Artillerie of HKB was responsible for “Filling-In” the coastal areas between these points by covering possible landing sites. The Navy Artillery units were normally situated directly on the coast and used as direct fire control procedure similar to that used on ships, with the Army positioned further inland, which protected them from Allied “Air” and “Naval” attack, but limited their ability to track and engage enemy ships and landing craft. Navy artillery battalions were separate from the Heer, under the Navy.

Battery organization generally depended on the weapon system to which Fuhrer Directive 40, March 1942, provided detailed instructions for the construction and defense of what became known as the Atlantic Wall. This meant a massive expansion of the Naval Artillery, with some 100 Battalions* created by the end of the war.

Navy (Kriegsmarine) units were primarily deployed to defend, important ports, or harbors, rivers, estuaries, and other points critical to naval operations.
The brain child of naval commander Ian Fleming & Lord Louis Mountbatten, 30 Commando, this wartime unit was a secret well kept for over 50 years after the war by the Official Secrets Act, some remains classified. At the time, officially, they didn’t exist. The members of this unit were forbidden to discuss or document their activities, a pledge that many of the men kept even many years after the war was over, or even for their entire lives!
Due to the fact these men operated in very small groups on ‘need-to-know’ basis it is very difficult to get clear picture of everything they were doing.
Fleming’s/NID30AU secretary Miss Margaret Priestley (a history professor from Leeds University) played a vital role in the running and administration of 30AU and became his inspiration for Miss Petty Pettaval - the original character name that became Miss Moneypenny.
As revealed here for the first time! (see Beau Bête)

Miss Preistley transferred over to NID30AU during the winter of 1943-44 from DNR - (Department of Naval Research) where she worked as a civilian, although there were obvious links between DNR and NID30AU as intelligence on enemy targets was collected for Fleming’s ‘Black List’.

Also Known as: Fleming's 'Red Indians'
Fleming himself referred to the men of the unit as behaving like 'Red Indians'. (A reference he also used when referring to his character, James Bond, four times in his first novel Casino Royale. Which effectively makes this unit the ‘literary James Bond’s wartime unit’.)
Formerly:- (NID30 Command Office at Admiralty),
Special Engineering Unit.
'RED' Marines.
Latterly:- 30 Assault Unit,
 30 Advanced Unit, 30AU
 and incorrectly as 30th Assault Unit.
The number '30' was used for no better reason than it was NID/Miss Priestley’s Office Door number at the Admiralty. (Fleming’s Office was No. 39, see photo in the gallery of Fleming in room 39 of the Admiralty) 'Assault Unit' was 'overt' cover for the fact that they were intelligence gathering.
Date Founded: 30 September 1942
Date Disbanded: 26 March 1946
Date Reformed: February 2010 - 30 Cdo IXG
Mission When Founded:
The collection of technical intelligence and personnel from enemy headquarters and installations. Ahead of allied advances and before enemy could destroy it, to ‘Attain by Surprise’.

30 Commando consisted of Royal Marine, Army and Royal Navy elements that were organised into three Sections: No. 33, No. 34 and No.36 respectively. Initially code-named the Special Engineering Unit, the unit reported to the Chief of Combined Operations, though the Admiralty retained ultimate control of No.36 Section. No.35 Section was left vacant for the RAF to utilise but they never raised a troop to participate in 30 Cdo. Although they did supply intelligence officers and specific targets to pursue after D-Day for ‘Operation Crossbow’.
Unit members were given general commando skills and weapons training, and were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment. Parachute training, small boat handling, recognition of enemy documents, search techniques including lock picking and safecracking, prisoner handling, photography and escape techniques were also taught.
A significant number of the initial recruits were formerly policemen. Although at least one ‘expert’ was recruited straight from prison, thought by the police to be the best safe-breaker in England at the time.
30 Cdo’s operational tactic was to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert missions into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture intelligence, in the form of equipment, documents, codes or enemy personnel. 30 Cdo often worked closely with the Intelligence Corps' Field Security sections. More often than not each team consisted of two special operations Jeeps (As used by the SAS and 30AU) manned by one Naval Commander in possession of a ‘Black Book’ which listed targets from Ian Fleming’s famous ‘Black List’. The Naval Commander was the only man in each team who knew where and what the targets actually were. This Naval Commander was usually accompanied by at least one weapons expert or scientist who he relied on to evaluate the information or equipment they encountered. There were also usually at least six Royal Marines and one RM Officer whose main job was to do any fighting required and to keep the Naval Commander and any experts alive and out of trouble. (For details Reading section.)
The individual Sections served in all the Mediterranean and NW European operational theatres, usually operating independently, gathering information from captured facilities. The unit served in North Africa, the Greek Islands, Norway, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, and Corsica, 1942-1943 as 30 Commando.

As the Allies broke through 30AU split into many ‘Field Teams’ and these were responsible for capturing many and varied targets throughout Germany.
Team 2 under Curtis captured Prof. Helmut Walter, designer of the Me163 Rocket Plane and Midget Submarines at Kiel. (Kept by the British!).
Team 5 under USN Lambie captured Prof. Herbert Wagner (Handed to US Agents) designer of the guided flying bomb Hs293, already used to sink HMS Egret and to kill over 1000 troops on HMT Rohna. He went on to work for the US Navy. He did not surrender in Bavaria with Dornberger and the von Braun brothers as the Allied military would have us believe..
The capture of Prof. Magnus von Braun (Martin) V2 fuel chemist. (Handed to US Agents). He did not surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe.
The capture of the designer of the Nazi V2 (who went on to the NASA Saturn V), Prof. von Braun and his brother. (Some men were convinced they were some of the scientists they caught!) Did they surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe or was that staged afterwards? (see Beau Bête for details and FREE preview PDF, in Reading)
Team 55 under Glanville captured the entire Nazi Naval records collection at ‘Tambach Castle’.
Team 4 under Job(e) captured the Bremen dockyards with type 21; 25 submarines and destroyers. Then took the surrender of Bremerhaven and captured Naval HQ SS Europa and Z29 Destroyer. (All handed over to US Agents).
Team 2 Postlethwaite captures the Torpedo testing facility at Ekenförde.
Another team captured Admiral Dönitz (as Führer).
And many other things yet to be revealed by the government!
Ref; https://www.30au.co.uk
An amazing historic collection of information, including. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beau-B%C3%A9te-assigned-Flemings-intelligence/dp/B08R7XYHXW  read more

Code: 25712

Original Solid Gold Mounted Viking Elfshott Amulet. Used As Protection Against Wið Færstice & Gif Hors Ofscoten Sie, Created By Invisible Elf Arrows or Witchcraft. "There Every Herd, By Sad Experience, Knows How, Winged With Fate, Their Elf-Shot Arrow..

An absolute stunning and beautiful, original & historical piece of small mystical solid gold jewellery, a protective amulet of an ancient Viking around 1200 years old. A Viking glass bead talisman fashioned into a arrow form encased in pure gold with a ring mount. The same type of amulet as such as the popular amulet of Thor’s Hammer. This is certainly one of the best examples we have had in over 50 years.

Elves were thought to shoot darts or arrows where such pains had no obvious external cause. Elfshott associated with "elf arrows", Neolithic flint arrowheads or glass beads used as amulets.
Elfshot or elf-shot is a medical condition described in Anglo-Saxon medical texts (notably Wið færstice) believed to be caused by elves shooting invisible elf-arrows at a person or animal (most often cattle), causing sudden shooting pains localized to a particular area of the body. Modern diagnoses might include rheumatism, arthritis, muscle stitches or cramps.

The term "elf-shott" is variously understood and used across different contexts. It has been interpreted as referring not only to disease caused by elves using projectiles but also to witchcraft involving projectiles without elves or fairies. Additionally, it can denote prehistoric arrowheads believed to be used by fairies or witches to cause harm or serve as protective amulets. Consequently, scholarship on elf-shot has been marked by significant confusion, with different sources applying divergent definitions and missing connections between them.

Origins and background
Before the causes of certain diseases or ailments were scientifically evidenced, they were often attributed to supernatural phenomena, and in such cases often seen as the malevolent actions of supernatural beings. It has been argued that attributing certain aches and pains to the arrows or "flying venom" of elfkind was a practice common throughout Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian Europe.

The Old English spell Gif hors ofscoten sie, "if a horse is elf-shot," meaning some kind of internal injury, may be an allusion to the magical elf-shot. However, the term aelfsogoða, which describes the internal pain from jaundice or a disorder of bile, is perhaps a more suitable fit. Along with elves, there also exist historical claims of witches firing elf-arrows. Per the testimony of Scottish accused witch Isobel Gowdie, these elf-arrows were given to witches by the Devil, who asked them to be fired (by flicking with the thumb, rather than shot with a bow) in his name.

The noun elf-shot is first attested in a Scots poem, "Rowlis Cursing," from around 1500, where "elf schot" is listed among a range of curses to be inflicted on some chicken thieves. The term may not always have denoted an actual projectile: shot could mean "a sharp pain". But in early modern Scotland, elf-schot and other terms like elf-arrowhead are sometimes used of neolithic arrow-heads, apparently thought to have been made by elves. In a few witchcraft trials, people attested that these arrow-heads were used in healing rituals, and occasionally alleged that witches (and perhaps elves) used them to injure people and cattle.34 A 1749–50 ode by William Collins includes the lines:35

There every herd, by sad experience, knows
How, winged with fate, their elf-shot arrows fly,
When the sick ewe her summer food forgoes,
Or, stretched on earth, the heart-smit heifers lie

In later medieval prayers, Elves appear as a threatening, even demonic, force. For example, some prayers invoke God's help against nocturnal attacks by Alpe. Correspondingly, in the early modern period, elves are described in north Germany doing the evil bidding of witches; Martin Luther believed his mother to have been afflicted in this way. As in Old Norse, however, there are few characters identified as elves. It seems likely that in the German-speaking world, elves were to a significant extent conflated with dwarves (Middle High German: getwerc). Thus, some dwarves that appear in German heroic poetry have been seen as relating to elves. In particular, nineteenth-century scholars tended to think that the dwarf Alberich, whose name etymologically means "elf-powerful," was influenced by early traditions of elves.

Ref;

Hall, Alaric ‘Getting Shot of Elves: Healing, Witchcraft and Fairies in the Scottish Witchcraft Trials’, Folklore 116 (2005b), 19-36
McGowan, Joseph ‘Elves, Elf-shot, and Epilepsy: OE ælfādl, ælfsiden, ælfsogeþa, bræccoþu, and bræcsēoc’, Studia Neophilologica 81 (2009), 116-120

3/4 of an inch long

Elfshot amulets or pendants, popular in Viking and Anglo-Saxon societies, typically contain a small, often oval-shaped, stone or glass bead, sometimes fashioned into an arrowhead shape, set within a precious metal (often gold) frame. Ours is fine pure gold. These pendants were believed to offer protection against invisible elves who were thought to shoot invisible arrows causing internal pain and illness.
The core element of the pendant or amulet is usually a small, smooth stone or glass bead. These were sometimes shaped like arrowheads or other simple shapes.
The stone/bead is encased in a metal setting, often gold, which also includes a loop for suspension from a chain or cord. The pendants or amulets were not just decorative; they were talismans believed to ward off the harmful effects of "elfshot," a folk belief about illness caused by unseen elf arrows.  read more

Code: 25799

A Remarkably Beautiful & Elegant Proto Celtic Bronze Age Bracelet Circa 2600 Years Old. That Continued Use Into Era Of The Great Iceni Celtic Queen Boudica. And, The Bracelet That Inspired Gustav Klimt One Of The Greatest Art Nouveau Artists In The World

This is an original Celtic 2600 year old bronze serpentine ringed cuff bracelet, 'object vertu' that was directly copied by one of the greatest Art Nouveau artists in the world, Austrian, Gustav Klimt leader of his Art Nouveau Jugendstil Vienna Secession Movement. Gustav Klimt's painting "Dame Mit Fächer" (Lady with a Fan) sold at Sotheby's in London, in 2023 for $108.4 million. See photo in the gallery of the {circa 1895} Jugendstil Vienna Secession bracelet, an obvious direct copy.

From the 8th to 6th centuries BC, developing out of the Urnfield culture of the 12th century BC (Late Bronze Age) and followed in much of its area by the La Tène culture. It is commonly associated with Proto-Celtic speaking populations.

By the 6th century BC, it had expanded to include wide territories, falling into two zones, east and west, between them covering much of western and central Europe down to the Alps, and extending into northern Italy. Parts of Britain and Iberia are included in the ultimate expansion of the Celtic culture. Where the snake serpentine designs of jewellery and adornments continued into Ancient Britannia, and the realm in Norfolk of the greatest and most famous Iceni Queen, Boudica, scourge and destroyer of the 70,000 to 80,000 Britannia based 9th Legion of Rome and their pro Roman supporters, in 61 A.D. In the Roman towns of Camulodunum, Verulamium, and Londinium.

This bracelet was the direct inspiration, but actually it is clearly an identical copy, for Gustav Klimt's
Art Nouveau Jugendstil Vienna Secession, brass cuff bracelet

See the gallery the stunning Gustav Klimt Jugendstil Vienna Secession brass cuff bracelet, circa 1895, currently offered by exclusive jewellery and object vertu dealers DFS in New York
Sale price $5,500.00.

The history of the evolution of the Celts from their Austrian origins

In German historiography, these seats of power are called fürstensitz. These were large, fortified hill forts situated on easily defendable locations. There were at least 16 such seats of power, while there were probably more just waiting to be discovered. The most important ones were at Hochdorf, Wurzburg, Heuneburg, Hohenasberg, Breisach, Mont Lassois, Vix, and Camp de Chassey, amongst others. These fortified settlements were protected by a complex system of ditches and earthen ramparts.

Most modern scholars and historians associate the culture with the Celts. It is commonly understood that this intriguing culture was the foundation from which emerged the wondrous Celtic world that we all know so well. In many aspects, this was is clearly the earliest, Proto-Celtic stage in Bronze and Iron age Europe.

2,25 inches across, 1 inch high.

Photo 10 in the gallery is a same period Celtic Diadem in the Metropolitan Museum in the USA. One can clearly see the distinct design in this piece reflected in the bracelet. Possibly both forms of these adornments were worn together and simultaneously by the Celtic hi-born {tribal leaders, princes princesses and the like} A diadem is a type of crown, specifically an ornamental headband, often jeweled, worn by monarchs and others to signify royalty or high status. It can also refer to a jeweled ornament in the shape of a half crown worn by women. In a broader sense, "diadem" can be used to describe any emblem of regal power or dignity.

For reference see; Stead, I. M. (1997). Celtic Art. Harvard University Press

https://www.metmuseum.org/  read more

Code: 25815

A Most Fabulous, Large, Ancient Bronze Coiled Serpent Armilla or Armlet Arm Ring, From The 2nd Millenium B.C., From the Eras of the Pharoahs Ahmenhotep To Tutankhamun

One of two we acquired from an ancient antiquity collection, not quite a pair but very similar from the same period and country of origin, and we are offering them separately, but they were in fact often worn with one on each arm and may indeed came from the same tomb etc. 200 years or so ago. See catalogue item number 24880

Over 3,300 to 3500 Years Old, 18th dynasty ancient Egyptian period, that includes Pharoah Ahmenhotep, Queen Nefertari, the most venerated Queen in Egyptian history, Pharoah Thutmose III, who became known as the greatest military pharaoh ever, and the most famous Pharoah in history, Tutankhamun.

A bronze serpent armilla arm ring that could be worn at the top of the arm or on the forearm, as it was adjustable in its day, expanding to the size required.

Worn by ancient Egyptian men or women of status, and we show pictures of original tomb art depicting figures of Egyptian dieties such as Osiris, almost all wearing armillae, but in their case likely made of gold, but the bronze type such as this would be polished bright and appear as gold as well.
Arm decoration and ornamentation was a very important sign of status and position in Ancient Egyptian society, and as it did in all the empires that followed over the next two thousand years. An intricate gold armlet from the artifacts of Nubian Queen Amanishakheto is displayed in the State Museum of Egyptian Art, in Munich, Germany. The armlet features a gold winged goddess. Another beautiful gold armlet is exhibited in Cairo Museum bearing the name of the pharaoh, Ahmose I, founder of the 18th Dynasty. The ancient Greeks and Romans also wore armlets, which were usually made from bronze or gold, and some of which were in the shape of serpents, winding plants, or embellished with images of gods and goddesses. Large, heavy armlets had hoops on the backs that attached to garments to help support their weight.

The Ancient Egyptian Dynasty XVIII was founded by Pharoah Ahmose I, the brother or son of Kamose, the last ruler of the 17th Dynasty. Ahmose finished the campaign to expel the Hyksos rulers. His reign is seen as the end of the Second Intermediate Period and the start of the New Kingdom. Ahmose's consort, Queen Ahmose-Nefertari was "arguably the most venerated woman in Egyptian history, and the grandmother of the 18th Dynasty." She was deified after she died. Ahmose was succeeded by his son, Amenhotep I, whose reign was relatively uneventful.

Amenhotep I probably left no male heir and the next pharaoh, Thutmose I, seems to have been related to the royal family through marriage. During his reign, the borders of Egypt's empire reached their greatest expanse, extending in the north to Carchemish on the Euphrates and in the south up to Kurgus beyond the fourth cataract of the Nile. Thutmose I was succeeded by Thutmose II and his queen, Hatshepsut, who was the daughter of Thutmose I. After her husband's death and a period of regency for her minor stepson (who would later become pharaoh as Thutmose III) Hatshepsut became pharaoh in her own right and ruled for over twenty years.

Thutmose III, who became known as the greatest military pharaoh ever, also had a lengthy reign after becoming pharaoh. He had a second co-regency in his old age with his son Amenhotep II. Amenhotep II was succeeded by Thutmose IV, who in his turn was followed by his son Amenhotep III, whose reign is seen as a high point in this dynasty.

Amenhotep III's reign was a period of unprecedented prosperity, artistic splendour, and international power, as attested by over 250 statues (more than any other pharaoh) and 200 large stone scarabs discovered from Syria to Nubia, Amenhotep III undertook large scale building programmes, the extent of which can only be compared with those of the much longer reign of Ramesses II during Dynasty XIX. Amenhotep III's consort was the Great Royal Wife Tiye, for whom he built an artificial lake, as described on eleven scarabs.

Akhenaten, the Amarna Period, and Tutankhamun

Akhenaten and his family adoring the Aten. Second from the left is Meritaten, daughter of Akhenaten.
Amenhotep III may have shared the throne for up to twelve years with his son Amenhotep IV. There is much debate about this proposed co-regency, with different experts considering that there was a lengthy co-regency, a short one, or none at all.

In the fifth year of his reign, Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten and moved his capital to Amarna, which he named Akhetaten. During the reign of Akhenaten, the Aten became, first, the most prominent deity, and eventually came to be considered the only god. Whether this amounted to true monotheism continues to be the subject of debate within the academic community. Some state that Akhenaten created a monotheism, while others point out that he merely suppressed a dominant solar cult by the assertion of another, while he never completely abandoned several other traditional deities.

Later Egyptians considered this "Amarna Period" an unfortunate aberration. After his death, Akhenaten was succeeded by two short-lived pharaohs, Smenkhkare and Neferneferuaten, of which little is known. In 1334 Akhenaten's son, Tutankhaten, ascended to the throne: shortly after, he restored Egyptian polytheist cult and subsequently changed his name in Tutankhamun, in honour to the Egyptian god Amun. His infant daughters, represent the final genetically related generation of the Eighteenth Dynasty
Ancient Egyptian art shows both men and women wearing pairs of armlets.

The 10th Duke of Hamilton had a strong interest in Ancient Egyptian mummies, and was so impressed with the work of mummy expert Thomas Pettigrew that he arranged for Pettigrew to mummify him after his death. He died on 18 August 1852 at age 84 at 12 Portman Square, London, England and was buried on 4 September 1852 at Hamilton Palace, Hamilton, Scotland. In accordance with his wishes, Hamilton's body was mummified after his death and placed in a sarcophagus of the Ptolemaic period that he had originally acquired in Paris in 1836 ostensibly for the British Museum. We have been acquiring similar such items from Duke's descendants from the family's 'Grand Tour' collection for the past 30 years or more.  read more

Code: 24823

A Most Fabulous, Large, Ancient Bronze Coiled Serpent Armilla or Armlet Arm Ring, From The 2nd Millenium B.C., From the Eras of the Pharoahs Ahmenhotep To Tutankhamun

One of two we acquired from an ancient antiquity collection, not quite a pair but very similar from the same period and country of origin, and we are offering them separately, but they were in fact often worn with one on each arm and may indeed came from the same tomb etc. 200 years or so ago. This example has a small pattern of indents at both ends, to appear like serpent's heads.

Over 3,300 to 3500 Years Old, 18th dynasty ancient Egyptian period, that includes Pharoah Ahmenhotep, Queen Nefertari, the most venerated Queen in Egyptian history, Pharoah Thutmose III, who became known as the greatest military pharaoh ever, and the most famous Pharoah in history, Tutankhamun.

A bronze serpent armilla arm ring that could be worn at the top of the arm or on the forearm, as it was adjustable in its day, expanding to the size required.

Worn by ancient Egyptian men or women of status, and we show pictures of original tomb art depicting figures of Egyptian dieties such as Osiris, almost all wearing armillae, but in their case likely made of gold, but the bronze type such as this would be polished bright and appear as gold as well.
Arm decoration and ornamentation was a very important sign of status and position in Ancient Egyptian society, and as it did in all the empires that followed over the next two thousand years. An intricate gold armlet from the artifacts of Nubian Queen Amanishakheto is displayed in the State Museum of Egyptian Art, in Munich, Germany. The armlet features a gold winged goddess. Another beautiful gold armlet is exhibited in Cairo Museum bearing the name of the pharaoh, Ahmose I, founder of the 18th Dynasty. The ancient Greeks and Romans also wore armlets, which were usually made from bronze or gold, and some of which were in the shape of serpents, winding plants, or embellished with images of gods and goddesses. Large, heavy armlets had hoops on the backs that attached to garments to help support their weight.

The Ancient Egyptian Dynasty XVIII was founded by Pharoah Ahmose I, the brother or son of Kamose, the last ruler of the 17th Dynasty. Ahmose finished the campaign to expel the Hyksos rulers. His reign is seen as the end of the Second Intermediate Period and the start of the New Kingdom. Ahmose's consort, Queen Ahmose-Nefertari was "arguably the most venerated woman in Egyptian history, and the grandmother of the 18th Dynasty." She was deified after she died. Ahmose was succeeded by his son, Amenhotep I, whose reign was relatively uneventful.

Amenhotep I probably left no male heir and the next pharaoh, Thutmose I, seems to have been related to the royal family through marriage. During his reign, the borders of Egypt's empire reached their greatest expanse, extending in the north to Carchemish on the Euphrates and in the south up to Kurgus beyond the fourth cataract of the Nile. Thutmose I was succeeded by Thutmose II and his queen, Hatshepsut, who was the daughter of Thutmose I. After her husband's death and a period of regency for her minor stepson (who would later become pharaoh as Thutmose III) Hatshepsut became pharaoh in her own right and ruled for over twenty years.

Thutmose III, who became known as the greatest military pharaoh ever, also had a lengthy reign after becoming pharaoh. He had a second co-regency in his old age with his son Amenhotep II. Amenhotep II was succeeded by Thutmose IV, who in his turn was followed by his son Amenhotep III, whose reign is seen as a high point in this dynasty.

Amenhotep III's reign was a period of unprecedented prosperity, artistic splendour, and international power, as attested by over 250 statues (more than any other pharaoh) and 200 large stone scarabs discovered from Syria to Nubia, Amenhotep III undertook large scale building programmes, the extent of which can only be compared with those of the much longer reign of Ramesses II during Dynasty XIX. Amenhotep III's consort was the Great Royal Wife Tiye, for whom he built an artificial lake, as described on eleven scarabs.

Akhenaten, the Amarna Period, and Tutankhamun

Akhenaten and his family adoring the Aten. Second from the left is Meritaten, daughter of Akhenaten.
Amenhotep III may have shared the throne for up to twelve years with his son Amenhotep IV. There is much debate about this proposed co-regency, with different experts considering that there was a lengthy co-regency, a short one, or none at all.

In the fifth year of his reign, Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten and moved his capital to Amarna, which he named Akhetaten. During the reign of Akhenaten, the Aten became, first, the most prominent deity, and eventually came to be considered the only god. Whether this amounted to true monotheism continues to be the subject of debate within the academic community. Some state that Akhenaten created a monotheism, while others point out that he merely suppressed a dominant solar cult by the assertion of another, while he never completely abandoned several other traditional deities.

Later Egyptians considered this "Amarna Period" an unfortunate aberration. After his death, Akhenaten was succeeded by two short-lived pharaohs, Smenkhkare and Neferneferuaten, of which little is known. In 1334 Akhenaten's son, Tutankhaten, ascended to the throne: shortly after, he restored Egyptian polytheist cult and subsequently changed his name in Tutankhamun, in honour to the Egyptian god Amun. His infant daughters, represent the final genetically related generation of the Eighteenth Dynasty

Ancient Egyptian art shows both men and women wearing pairs of armlets.

The 10th Duke of Hamilton had a strong interest in Ancient Egyptian mummies, and was so impressed with the work of mummy expert Thomas Pettigrew that he arranged for Pettigrew to mummify him after his death. He died on 18 August 1852 at age 84 at 12 Portman Square, London, England and was buried on 4 September 1852 at Hamilton Palace, Hamilton, Scotland. In accordance with his wishes, Hamilton's body was mummified after his death and placed in a sarcophagus of the Ptolemaic period that he had originally acquired in Paris in 1836 ostensibly for the British Museum. We have been acquiring similar such items from Duke's descendants from the family's 'Grand Tour' collection for the past 30 years or more.

82mm across at its widest point.  read more

Code: 24880

3rd Century Roman Axe-Adze 'Dolabra' Roman Empire to Byzantine Period For The Construction of Military Forts & Bridges, To The Making of Seige Weapons, Such as Catapulta and Ballista In Times Of Combat Used From the 3rd to 14th Century. A Tool & Weapon

In complete condition, without repair and restoration, The form used by Rome for over a 1000 years. Just arrived after two weeks of hand conservation in our workshop.
Ancient Roman utility axe used from the construction of military forts and bridges, to the making of seige weapons in time of combat, and it doubled as an incredibly effective combat weapon. Almost identical to another iron dolabra recovered recently from the Harzhorn event, from the time of Emperor Maximinus Thrax 235 to 236 ad .{see photo in the gallery.}
The Roman Battle of Harzhorn ;
The battle between Roman legionaries and auxiliary troops and Germanic tribes around 235 AD on the western edge of the Harz Mountain.

The axe was a fundamental weapon of the Roman to Byzantine soldiers - both on foot and on horseback. Aside from combat, one of the main utility tools of the Roman army was the axe. The adze axe was useful in splitting wood and a fundamental tool needed to do everything from constructing military forts, to building large siege weapons such as catapulta and ballista. In times of war, these axes doubled as highly effective weapons, able to defeat armour, breaking bones and crushing skulls with a single blow. This specific adze axe 'dolabra' was found on an ancient battlefield with a large number of other iron weapons, over a century ago, indicating its final use was in combat. It has now been professionally cleaned and conserved by us recently..

This item was used by the Imperial Roman army and its type by the Byzantine Roman armies defending the Empire's northern border along the Danube River in the present day East Balkans. This region was the northern-most boundary of the Roman Empire for most of its duration and evolution into Byzantium right up until 1336 AD when the area fell under Ottoman rule. In the Balkans, Roman camps and fortresses along the Danube were constantly being challenged by opposing tribes and armies. The river served as a natural barrier against attacks from the north. Collected from a region that was once occupied by the Byzantine Roman military as they fought against the challengers of the Christian Roman Empire, they were utilized by Roman soldiers in one of the many violent and frequent battles that took place in defense of Byzantium.

The dolabra is a versatile axe, of two main types, used by the people of Italy since ancient times. The more curved and longer dolabra could serve as a pickaxe, used by miners and excavators, a priest's implement for ritual religious slaughtering of animals and as an entrenching tool (mattock) and further used in Roman infantry tactics. The shorter less curved regular dolabra (like this one) was used for both construction and combat In the 1st century CE, at the Siege of Augustodunum Haeduorum, where famously, armoured Gallic gladiators were defeated by legionaries wielding such dolabrae. See depictions carved into Trajans column in the gallery for their use in combat.
The Siege of Augustodunum Haeduorum (modern Autun, France) took place between 269 and 270 AD, during the reign of the Gallic Emperor Victorinus. The city, which had declared allegiance to Claudius Gothicus, was besieged by Victorinus' troops for seven months before being captured and plundered.

Early Roman Dolabra.
General Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo famously once said, "you defeat the enemy with a pickaxe"

We show in the gallery a recently excavated near pair to our dolabra found in the famous Harzhorn Event. Not only is it a near identical pair to ours, it was in the identical condition state as ours before both were conserved. See the photo of theirs and ours side by side in the gallery before and after conservation. Note the state of corruption of our iron dolabra {before connservation} is absolutely identical to the state of iron corruption of the Battle of Harzhorn recovered dolabra, before conservation, that had remained buried for around 1800 years, just as was ours.

The term Harzhorn event refers to several connected battles that took place between several thousand Roman legionaries and their auxiliary troops and an unknown number of Germanic tribes around the year 235/236 on the western edge of the Harz Mountains on the Harzhorn hill and represent a comparatively late example of the military presence of the Romans in Germania .

The archaeological sites are located near the Kalefeld district of Wiershausen on the northern edge of the Northeim district of Lower Saxony and initially covered an area of ​​2.0 × 0.5 kilometers (as of April 2009). At the end of 2010, another extensive site was discovered approximately three kilometers away. Both sites are considered by the scientists commissioned to investigate them to be spectacular discoveries of extraordinary scientific importance: Along with the Kalkriese region, they are the best-preserved ancient battlefield in Europe. This offers a unique opportunity to examine the archaeological remains of a Roman army engaged in combat.

To date, around 1,700 artifacts from the fighting have been found (as of summer 2013). Along with the Roman camp at Hedemünden , the Bentumersiel site , the Roman marching camp at Wilkenburg, and the Kalkriese region, the sites around the Harzhorn are one of the largest sites of Roman militaria in northern Germany. This find is also significant because of its context in the historical events at the beginning of the so-called Imperial Crisis of the 3rd century . Previously, historical research had considered such wide-ranging military operations by the Romans to be impossible at this time and in this area. According to current evidence, it is almost certain that the battle belongs in the context of the Germanic Wars of Emperor Maximinus Thrax in 235 and 236.

Dolabrae are mentioned several times in ancient literature, are depicted on the reliefs of Trajan's Column and appear in the finds of imperial military camps, but also in battlefield finds such as in Kalkriese.

11 inches long 2.1 pounds in weight.  read more

Code: 25810

Most Rare & Desirable, Roman Legionary's Status Ring, An Original Ancient Roman Bronze Ring Engraved With A Roman Legion’s Eagle Around 1900 to 2000 Years Old From The Era From Emperor Augustus to Emperor Commodus

A fabulous Ancient Roman bronze Legionary's ring, in excellent condition for its great age, and very possibly a centurion as it was a symbol of status and high rank within a cohort of a Roman legion, from the era of the earliest and most famous emperors. The circular bezel is intaglio engraved with a stylized Legionary Eagle. In superb, original, natural age patina of a rich dark bronze colour. The eagle was a powerful symbol to the Roman military. With each Roman legion a special eagle-bearer (aquilifer) had the honour of carrying the Legionary Eagle standard into battle and to guard its existence. Unusually, it is a comfortably wearable sized ring {which is somewhat rare due to original ancient Roman rings and armilla being usually smaller sized} In copper bronze with stunning, natural age patination.. By far the greatest percentage of rings from the Roman era were engraved in the stylised form. The wearing of the ring was the prerogative alone of Roman citizens or those of high rank and esteem, and legionaries. Some gladiators always aspired to but rarely achieved the ring likely due to their short life span within their violent craft. However, some did achieve such great success and were rewarded with riches, freedom and the right to wear the traditional Roman bronze status ring.

Made for and used by an Imperial German Legionary during the era of the following Emperors;

Augustus (27 BC–14 AD
Tiberius (14–37 AD}
Caligula (37–41 AD
Claudius (41–54 AD
Nero (54–68 AD
Galba (68–69 AD
Otho (January–April 69 AD
Aulus Vitellius (July–December 69 AD
Vespasian (69–79 AD
Titus (79–81 AD
Domitian (81–96 AD
Nerva (96–98 AD
Trajan (98–117 AD
Hadrian (117–138 AD
Antoninus Pius (138–161 AD
Marcus Aurelius (161–180 AD
Lucius Verus (161–169 AD
Commodus (177–192 AD

The eagle was a powerful symbol to the Roman military. With each Roman legion a special eagle-bearer (aquilifer) had the honour of carrying the Legionary Eagle standard into battle and to guard its existence.

During a battle, the standard was carried by the aquilifer, or "eagle-bearer."

The standard was the mode of communication for generals and troops. A horn blast would instruct the soldiers to look to the emblem, then the aquilifer would wave, raise, or lower it to direct the troops on their next move.

The bearer was also tasked with guarding the standard. In terms of rank, aquilifers fell just underneath centurions. Within the legion, they received higher pay and better rations than the typical soldier.

The standard served as a symbol to place the legion as a collective above the individual. Losing a standard was emotionally devastating because of its intense symbolism. When one was lost in battle, the surviving legionaries were left in shame for failing their fallen brothers in arms. The group promptly disbanded and members devoted themselves to reacquiring the lost icon.
Standards often included an image of the reigning emperor or his name beneath the eagle, adding to the importance of the symbol. In many instances, the eagle on the standard was perched above an orb, signifying Rome's dominion over the entire world.

Subdivisions of legions each carried a smaller standard that identified their group number or name. These were used to quickly assemble the components of the legion when mobilizing for battle.
Some of the most famous standards in Roman history were the ones lost at the Battle of Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD. During a long campaign to conquer Germania, the tribes lured three legions into the forest and launched a guerilla warfare campaign, slaughtering the Roman soldiers.

In 16 AD, General Germanicus led his Roman troops into Germania to seize the lost standards, crossing borders established by Augustus.
Eagles played a central role in Roman life and culture, right from the society's inception.

The aquila, or eagle, is one the most enduring symbols of Roman civilization.

While different animals and mythological creatures served as meaningful signifiers throughout the Republic and Imperial eras, the eagle continuously symbolized power and authority.

In the city's founding myth, the brothers Romulus and Remus agreed to settle their dispute over where to build their kingdom by letting the gods decide. Remus spotted six eagles and Romulus later spotted twelve of the birds.
The eagle was considered majestic and transcendent, to the point that live birds were often caged on emperors' funeral pyres. Once they broke free and flew skyward, the Romans considered it a manifestation of the deceased emperor's transition to godhood.

Ancient Romans esteemed the eagle and adopted it as a symbol of victory. Pliny the Elder wrote extensively on eagles, noting that they possessed excellent eyesight and were skilled parents.

Symbolically, he claimed eagles were the only creature immune to lightning strikes, underscoring their divinity. Up to modernity, eagles are depicted with lightning bolts clutched in their talons.
The earliest standard used by the Roman army was a bundle of straw affixed to a tall staff. Over time, the Romans began using emblems of eagles, wolves, minotaurs, horses, and boars.

Following a crushing defeat in 105 BC at the Battle of Arausio during the Cimbrian War, the Romans completed a self-assessment. The consul Gaius Marius led a reorganization of the military structure. Marius' reforms transformed the Roman legions from a loose militia into a professional fighting force.

As part of the restructure, he declared the eagle as the military's standard and retired the other four creatures mentioned above. Putting the emphasis on the eagle was meant to place its central qualities, bravery and power, at the forefront of the army's identity.

From the mid-Republican era onwards, the legion's standard was a bronze or silver Aquila with spread wings.

Outside diameter: 28mm, ring size UK S 1/2  read more

Code: 25702