Antique Arms & Militaria

A Super Roman Dagger Pommel and Scabbard Mount. Around 2000 Years Old, From 100 bc to 100 ad

From the Roman Republican to Imperial Rome era. Made for and used by a Roman noble, senator or gladiator. It may even be the same form of dagger that was used to assassinate Caeser on the Ides of March. The blade grip and scabbard have not survived as is more than usual. A superb pair of Roman dagger mounts from the historical time of Julius Caeser, the first Emperor, Augustus, Mark Anthony and Cleopatra, and last, but not least, Jesus of Nazareth. The Ides of March comes from the ides, a term the Romans used to note the middle of a month. Every month has an ides around the middle (as well as a calends at the beginning of the month and nones eight days before the ides). The Ides of March feels special for a couple of reasons: it's the day Caesar was murdered, and it's the subject of a soothsayer's spooky prophecy in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Before Caesar, Roman nobility and military were free to plunder the provinces they ruled. But under Caesar, Rome controlled the process and sent inspectors to check up on everything, so they could only exploit their provinces under Caesar's supervision.

That slight was compounded by Caesar's rebranding of political real estate in his name ? he built statues in his image and renamed monuments for himself. He brought power to his family by giving them political appointments and honorifics, and drew allies outside the charmed circle of Roman nobility, like his soldiers and leaders in the provinces. As far as epic betrayals go, we tend to imagine Brutus in the same league as Judas. In reality, that infamy should be reserved for someone called Decimus.

Caesar trusted Decimus much more than he trusted Brutus ? and that made his betrayal more shocking. Misspelled in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar as "Decius," Decimus was much more important than most of us realize. "There were three leaders of the assassins' conspiracy, Brutus, Cassius, and Decimus." Decimus dined with Caesar the night before his assassination and convinced Caesar to leave his house the next morning (he was staying home because his wife, Calpurnia, was worried). Decimus' betrayal followed an adult life spent at Caesar's side. Brutus, however, had often fought against Caesar, like when he took Pompey's side against Caesar in the Civil War that lasted from 49 to 45 BC. He only came over to Caesar's side after a handsome cash award and profitable political appointment. When he was stabbed, most of the sources say he tried to get up and escape. Unfortunately for Caesar, the conspirators were trained soldiers, so they'd formed a tight perimeter. "They knew how you carry out an ambush,and some of the senators were assigned the job of crowd control."

As far as what Caesar said when he died, "Et tu, Brute" is a Renaissance invention. But Caesar did perform a few resonant gestures. He tried to escape, like any soldier would, but when death was near, he covered his face before he died. It may have been an attempt to preserve his dignity. Bibilography; Professor Strauss, Cornell, Classics and History. As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity.  read more

Code: 21864

A Fabulous 10th to 12th Century, Crusader Knights Period, Original, Large Reliquary Pectoral Cross Pendant, Crucifix. Possibly Cleaved By a Sword Cut

With a deep relief cast Jesus Christ on the cross, dressed with a long robe (sticharion) and single remaining flanking small figure (probably Saint John) to Christ’s right, the left arm has been struck off and now missing. It may well have been damaged by such as a sword cut, breaking off an arm and separating the crucifix into town pieces, of course this is only speculation. Christ stands on a pedestal that resembles a suppedaneum used to support the feet in a crucifixion.

The hollow portion formed inside the box was intended for the sacred relic that the faithful would have worn around the neck. Part of the amazing collection of Crusades period Crucifixes and reliquary crosses for the early Anglo Norman Crusader knights and Jerusalem pilgrims. As used in the early Crusades Period by Knights, such as the Knights of Malta Knights Hospitaller, the Knights of Jerusalem the Knights Templar, the Knights of St John.The new Norman rulers were culturally and ethnically distinct from the old French aristocracy, most of whom traced their lineage to the Franks of the Carolingian dynasty from the days of Charlemagne in the 9th century. Most Norman knights remained poor and land-hungry, and by the time of the expedition and invasion of England in 1066, Normandy had been exporting fighting horsemen for more than a generation. Many Normans of Italy, France and England eventually served as avid Crusaders soldiers under the Italo-Norman prince Bohemund I of Antioch and the Anglo-Norman king Richard the Lion-Heart, one of the more famous and illustrious Kings of England. An encolpion "on the chest" is a medallion with an icon in the centre worn around the neck upon the chest. This stunning and large neck worn example is bronze front panel. 10th to 12th century. The hollow portion formed inside the cross was intended for the sacred relic that the faithful would have worn around the neck. The custom of carrying a relic was largely widespread, and many early bronze examples were later worn by the Crusader knights on their crusades to liberate the Holy Land. Relics of the True Cross became very popular from the 9th century, and were carried in cross-shaped reliquaries like this, often decorated with enamels, niellos, and precious stones. The True Cross is the name for physical remnants from the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. Many Catholic and Orthodox churches possess fragmentary remains that are by tradition believed to those of the True Cross. Saint John Chrysostom relates that fragments of the True Cross were kept in reliquaries "which men reverently wear upon their persons". A fragment of the True Cross was received by King Alfred from Pope Marinus I (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, year 883). An inscription of 359, found at Tixter, in the neighbourhood of Sétif in Mauretania, was said to mention, in an enumeration of relics, a fragment of the True Cross, according to an entry in Roman Miscellanies, X, 441.

Fragments of the Cross were broken up, and the pieces were widely distributed; in 348, in one of his Catecheses, Cyril of Jerusalem remarked that the "whole earth is full of the relics of the Cross of Christ," and in another, "The holy wood of the Cross bears witness, seen among us to this day, and from this place now almost filling the whole world, by means of those who in faith take portions from it." Egeria's account testifies to how highly these relics of the crucifixion were prized. Saint John Chrysostom relates that fragments of the True Cross were kept in golden reliquaries, "which men reverently wear upon their persons." Even two Latin inscriptions around 350 from today's Algeria testify to the keeping and admiration of small particles of the cross. Around the year 455, Juvenal Patriarch of Jerusalem sent to Pope Leo I a fragment of the "precious wood", according to the Letters of Pope Leo. A portion of the cross was taken to Rome in the seventh century by Pope Sergius I, who was of Byzantine origin. "In the small part is power of the whole cross", says an inscription in the Felix Basilica of Nola, built by bishop Paulinus at the beginning of 5th century. The cross particle was inserted in the altar.

The Old English poem Dream of the Rood mentions the finding of the cross and the beginning of the tradition of the veneration of its relics. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle also talks of King Alfred receiving a fragment of the cross from Pope Marinus (see: Annal Alfred the Great, year 883). Although it is possible, the poem need not be referring to this specific relic or have this incident as the reason for its composition. However, there is a later source that speaks of a bequest made to the 'Holy Cross' at Shaftesbury Abbey in Dorset; Shaftesbury abbey was founded by King Alfred, supported with a large portion of state funds and given to the charge of his own daughter when he was alive – it is conceivable that if Alfred really received this relic, that he may have given it to the care of the nuns at Shaftesbury

Most of the very small relics of the True Cross in Europe came from Constantinople. The city was captured and sacked by the Fourth Crusade in 1204: "After the conquest of the city Constantinople inestimable wealth was found: incomparably precious jewels and also a part of the cross of the Lord, which Helena transferred from Jerusalem and which was decorated with gold and precious jewels. There it attained the highest admiration. It was carved up by the present bishops and was divided with other very precious relics among the knights; later, after their return to the homeland, it was donated to churches and monasteries.To the category of engolpia belong also the ampullae, or vials or vessels of lead, clay or other materials in which were preserved such esteemed relics as oil from the lamps that burned before the Holy Sepulchre, and the golden keys with filings from St. Peter's chains, one of which was sent by St. Gregory the Great to the Frankish King Childebert.

Encolpion, a different anglicization of the same word, covers the early medieval tradition in both Eastern and Western civilisation.

Surface in very good condition, right arm broken off, with typical natural aged patina with encrustations. As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity.  read more

Code: 23496

An Original Medieval Caltrop 13th-15th Century, Recovered From the Battle Site of Agincourt. Known to The Ancient Romans As A Tribulus. One of The Oldest Forms of Incredibly Effective Combined Offensive & Defensive Strategies of War

Part of an incredible collection of Roman, Viking, and Medieval antiquities we have just acquired, including these amazingly interesting pieces, a few, original, battlefield recovered caltrops from the Anglo French wars of the 14th and early 15th centuries, all acquired from a ‘Grand Tour’ of 1820, either from the regions surrounding the battle site of Agincourt, . Some were listed specifically as from Agincourt, others as from either the Poitiers or Crecy battle sites. However they were all constructed the same by English blacksmith armourers, between 600 to 700 years ago. As well as historically incredibly interesting it is also an amazing, and especially a somewhat gruesome, conversation piece.

In many respects as equally important to the medieval former King’s armies at the time as the long bow and arrow. Yet they have almost disappeared from the history books as to their incredible significance and highly useful service in all of those battles. For example, by just 50 men casting thousands of these caltrops, across, say, a 25 acre field, it would effectively deny an entire French army the ability to out-flank the British across that particular terrain. Thus, with that ingenious ability, a king could manipulate to a great degree, and with relative ease, an entire defensive or offensive position for an oncoming battle, or even hopefully negate a surprise attack from a particular direction. And to caste them behind the ranks of a retreating army would create a huge advantage potentially for survival against an attack from behind. There is no greater advantage to the discouragement of an enemy French foot soldier to know that he, and up to fifty percent of his pursuing force comrades, might well be crippled for life before even engaging with the enemy English in hand to hand combat. Upon being caste on hard and barren flat ground, in daylight, they would be easy to spot and thus, with relative caution, avoid, but upon grassy ground, or woodland, especially when the ground was wet, they would be near impossible to see.

The caltrop is an ancient anti-personnel weapon made up of forged and very heavy grade sharp nails or spines arranged in a pyramidical manner so that one of them always points upward from a triple spine stable base. In the wars with France they could be issued to English foot soldiers to caste behind if they made a rapid withdrawal and were likely to be pursued. Used thus they would incapacitate, often permanently, an infantryman or foot knight, if trodden upon, and create the same result if trodden upon by a harsh man’s mount. They would also be forged in significant numbers in order to remove or deny an area of a battlefield or defences from the enemy’s access. The prominent spike being of such a height and strength, they would easy penetrate the thickest leather shoe sole, and especially a bare foot or hoof, as many medieval soldiers marched and fought barefooted.
Iron caltrops were used as early as 331 BC at Gaugamela according to Quintus Curtius (IV.13.36). They were known to the Romans as tribulus or sometimes as Murex ferreus, the latter meaning 'jagged iron'.

Richard Lassels, an expatriate Roman Catholic priest, first used the phrase “Grand Tour” in his 1670 book Voyage to Italy, published posthumously in Paris in 1670. In its introduction, Lassels listed four areas in which travel furnished "an accomplished, consummate traveler" with opportunities to experience first hand the intellectual, the social, the ethical, and the political life of the Continent.

The English gentry of the 17th century believed that what a person knew came from the physical stimuli to which he or she has been exposed. Thus, being on-site and seeing famous works of art and history was an all important part of the Grand Tour. So most Grand Tourists spent the majority of their time visiting museums and historic sites.

Once young men began embarking on these journeys, additional guidebooks and tour guides began to appear to meet the needs of the 20-something male and female travelers and their tutors traveling a standard European itinerary. They carried letters of reference and introduction with them as they departed from southern England, enabling them to access money and invitations along the way.

With nearly unlimited funds, aristocratic connections and months or years to roam, these wealthy young tourists commissioned paintings, perfected their language skills and mingled with the upper crust of the Continent.

The wealthy believed the primary value of the Grand Tour lay in the exposure both to classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A Grand Tour could last from several months to several years. The youthful Grand Tourists usually traveled in the company of a Cicerone, a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

The ‘Grand Tour’ era of classical acquisitions from history existed up to around the 1850’s, and extended around the whole of Europe, Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy Land.

Caltrops, known as tribulus to Romans, were recorded as used as such in the Battle of Carrhae in 51 BC.
The late Roman writer Vegetius, referring in his work De Re Militari to scythed chariots, wrote:

The armed chariots used in war by Antiochus and Mithridates at first terrified the Romans, but they afterwards made a jest of them. As a chariot of this sort does not always meet with plain and level ground, the least obstruction stops it. And if one of the horses be either killed or wounded, it falls into the enemy's hands. The Roman soldiers rendered them useless chiefly by the following contrivance: at the instant the engagement began, they strewed the field of battle with caltrops, and the horses that drew the chariots, running full speed on them, were infallibly destroyed. A caltrop is a device composed of four spikes or points arranged so that in whatever manner it is thrown on the ground, it rests on three and presents the fourth upright. Undoubtedly the most unusual weapon or military device surviving from seventeenth-century Virginia in America was a caltrop, a single example of which has been found at Jamestown. In fact their importance of use in close combat warfare was so important they were still in use by the British and US special services of the SOE & the OSS, as anti tyred vehicle sabotage devices, caste upon roads and lanes to incapacitate German trucks and staff cars.
Although by then, hand forging was fortunately redundant, as modern manufacturing methods could easily create pointed hollow steel tubed versions to ensure an immediate deflation of tyres.

The Battle of Agincourt;
After several decades of relative peace, the English had renewed their war effort in 1415 amid the failure of negotiations with the French. In the ensuing campaign, many soldiers perished due to disease and the English numbers dwindled, but as they tried to withdraw to English-held Calais they found their path blocked by a considerably larger French army. Despite the disadvantage, the following battle ended in an overwhelming tactical victory for the English.

King Henry V of England led his troops into battle and participated in hand-to-hand fighting. The French king of the time, Charles VI, did not command the French army himself, as he suffered from severe psychotic illnesses with moderate mental incapacitation. Instead, the French were commanded by Constable Charles d'Albret and various prominent French noblemen of the Armagnac party.

This battle is notable for the use of the English longbow in very large numbers, with the English and Welsh archers forming up to 80 percent of Henry's army. The decimation of the French cavalry at their hands is regarded as an indicator of the decline of cavalry and the beginning of the dominance of ranged weapons on the battlefield.

Agincourt is one of England's most celebrated victories. The battle is the centrepiece of the play Henry V by Shakespeare. Juliet Barker in her book Agincourt: The King, the Campaign, the Battle ( published in 2005) argues the English and Welsh were outnumbered "at least four to one and possibly as much as six to one". She suggests figures of about 6,000 for the English and 36,000 for the French, based on the Gesta Henrici's figures of 5,000 archers and 900 men-at-arms for the English, and Jean de Wavrin's statement "that the French were six times more numerous than the English". The 2009 Encyclopædia Britannica uses the figures of about 6,000 for the English and 20,000 to 30,000 for the French.

Generic photos are used here in the photo gallery as they are all taken from of our small collection are extremely similar looking examples of rare, finely handcrafted, original, medieval hammer forged workmanship, recovered from ancient battle sites. Their three dimensional proportions shows they all, approximately, occupy same size {though not shape of course} as an English cricket ball. And they are all now superbly conserved for another millennium, for the enjoyment of future generations for fascinating historic interest.  read more

Code: 23981

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 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

A Impressive Ancient Roman Dolabra Pick-Axe. General Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo Once Famously Said Of This Form Of Dolabra, "You Defeat The Enemy With a Pickaxe". Thus It Was Used For Combat & The Destruction of Fortifications. Used From The 1st Century

Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo (Peltuinum c. AD 7 – 67) was a popular Roman general, brother-in-law of the emperor Caligula and father-in-law of Domitian. The emperor Nero, highly fearful of Corbulo's reputation, ordered him to commit suicide, which the general carried out faithfully, exclaiming "Axios", meaning "I am worthy", and fell on his own sword.

Corbulo's early career is unknown but he was suffect consul in AD 39 during the reign of Caligula, his brother-in-law through Caligula's marriage to Corbulo's half-sister Milonia Caesonia.

After Caligula's assassination, Corbulo's career came to a halt until, in AD 47, the new Emperor Claudius made him commander of the armies in Germania Inferior, with a base camp in Colonia (Cologne).

The new assignment was a difficult one and Corbulo had to deal with major rebellions by the Germanic Cherusci and Chauci tribes. During his stay in Germania, the general ordered the construction of a canal between the rivers Rhine and Meuse. Parts of this engineering work, known as Fossa Corbulonis or Corbulo's Canal, have been found at archaeological digs. It ran largely parallel to the modern-day Vliet canal, which connects the modern towns of Leiden (ancient Matilo) and Voorburg (Forum Hadriani). Upon reaching lower Germania, Corbulo employed both the army and naval squadrons of the fleet patrolling the Rhine and the North Sea, eventually expelling the Chauci away from the Roman Provinces and instituting a rigorous training program in order to ensure maximum effectiveness of his legions. He supposedly executed two legionaries after they were found to have laid aside their swords when labouring in the construction of fortifications on a marching camp. Corbulo is famously, purported to have said, "You defeat the enemy with a pickaxe."
The Siege of Augustodunum Haeduorum
Legionaries used dolabrae to defeat armoured crupellarii gladiators.
An instance occurred in 21 AD during the Florus and Sacrovir revolt, where enemy rebels used heavily armored gladiators called crupellarii as their front ranks. The Romans could not pierce the armour of the crupellarii with their swords, so they retrieved their pickaxes and mattocks to batter the rebel gladiators into submission.

In complete condition, without repair and restoration, The form used by Rome for over a 1000 years.
This ancient Imperial Roman utility pick axe (dolabra) was used from the construction of military forts and bridges, to the destruction of enemy fortifications, and it further doubled as an incredibly effective weapon against armoured enemies of Rome, yet just as effective for the tearing down of walled defences. Another iron, axe-adze dolabra was 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 pick 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 and destroying enemy fortifications. This specific long 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. Professionally cleaned and conserved.

This item was used by the Imperial Roman army, and similar versions still used by later 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 utility axe {either axe -adze, or pick axe} used by the people of Italy since ancient times. This dolabra could serve as a pickaxe, used by miners and excavators, a priest's implement for ritual religious slaughtering of animals, as an entrenching tool (mattock) and also used in Roman infantry combat tactics. In the 1st century CE, at the Siege of Augustodunum Haeduorum, armoured Gallic gladiators were defeated by legionaries wielding dolabrae. 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.

Describing the Roman Dolabra.
Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo said, "you defeat the enemy with a pickaxe"

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.

Picture 8 in the gallery is of our other Dolabra, identical to one found in a recent excavation at the Imperial Roman Harzhorn battle sites of 265AD, before conservation and after, compared to ours. Picture 10 is this long Dolabra before and after conservation. Note the state of corruption of both dolabra is absolutely identical to the state of iron corruption of the Battle of Harzhorn recovered dolabra, that had remained buried for around 1800 years, just as was ours.

11 inches long measured straight, 14 inches along its curvature. 2 pounds in weight

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 trading  read more

Code: 25811

A Vintage Carved Aboriginal Culture Wunda Parrying Shield With a Chip Carving Design of Kangaroo and Emu.

Very nice quality & stands as a piece of art as well as an Aboriginal implement.
It is a good size (22" long x 4" at the widest) & handcarved from a heavy solid grain timber, possibly West Australian Mulga It is in very nice condition

Best of all is the quality of the decoration, it has one kangaroo and two emu on the back (handle side) & a wonderful scene with three kangaroos & two emu on the front. Even the background has been carved with a fine textured look which must have taken some time, no doubt the artist really had talent & took pride in the quality of their work.

Australian Aboriginal shield come in many different forms depending on the tribe that made them and their function. Aboriginal shields come in 2 main types, Broad shields, and Parrying shields. Parrying shields parry blows from a club whereas broad shields block spears. Shields for parrying are thick strong and narrow whereas broad shields are wide but thin. Aboriginal shields were made from different materials in different areas, they were made from buttress root, mulga wood and bark.
This shield was probably also used as a ceremonial dance shield.

19th to 20th century.  read more

Code: 16780

A Simply Outstanding Norman Period Medieval Sculpture Circa 11th Century. A Biblical Portrait Bust From The Old Testament. Likely Removed From a Norman Church or Monastery In the Dissolution of the Monasteries

Up to 1000 years old or later, a carved stone ancient British corbel, weighing almost 55 pounds, from such as a Norman church, monastery or even castle. It is a fabulous carved head of a the grimacing first man, Adam, he from the Garden of Eden, as told in the Old Testament Book of Genesis. His face likely revealing his regret of his being cast out by God, with his wife Eve, to face the misery of life after leaving God’s paradise, after succumbing to the serpents temptation via Eve. No doubt an allegory of the warning of the consequence that awaits those that fail in their devotion and duty. Interestingly it is one of the great historic myths that it was an apple tree within which the serpent appeared, with his poisonous apple, but there is no mention of an apple or apple tree at all in the tale. It was simply the fruit of the forbidden tree that bore peri, which just means fruit, of no particular or defined kind. It could just have easily been a peach, or even a kumquat.

The tradition of using carved stone corbels perhaps derives from stone vaults, although their ribs normally rise from capitals on wall shafts and these are usually foliate or moulded. However, Romanesque churches had external corbels below the eaves which have their architectural origins in classical brackets (and before that, the ends of roof timbers). Although most frequently carved as human heads, they could be animals, figures or grotesques. Explaining the relative lack of external decoration of churches in comparison with their interiors, William Durandus {who died in Rome in 1296 wrote: ‘for although its outward appearance be despicable, the soul which is the seat of God is illuminated from within’. It has therefore been taken that the grotesques and gargoyles seen on church exteriors are there to defend the building (heaven) and those within it from ever-present evil by fighting the Devil with his own. While literacy increased in the Middle Ages, the great majority of people entering a church would not have been able to read (and in any case, any script was most likely to be in Latin before the 16th century). Medieval people certainly recognised many more scenes from the Bible than modern churchgoers, but there were plenty of other sources of inspiration for painted and carved decoration. Hagiographical stories were widely used to convey Christian messages of morality and duty, yet the stories that concluded in considerably less than perfection also convey the consequences of failing to abide by such positive devotions. Thus in this case Adam started as the ideal of hagiographical perfection, at least in God’s eyes, but faced the painful reality after falling from God’s grace and his expulsion from paradise.

After the Norman Invasion of 1066.
William was quick to bring in Norman nobles, administrators and clerics to run this new section of his Norman empire, and, in fact, he soon left to return to pressing business in Normandy, leaving instructions as he sailed back across the English Channel, returning only when he needed to lead his armies against rebellion.
Most notably this included the Harrying of the North in 1069-70 with the Domesday Book, written some 16 years later, still recording that many villages across the northern counties were ‘laid waste.’ Such was the shocking power and devastation of the occupying Norman force.

At the heart of these plans was Feudalism that, in essence, demanded the domination of the Anglo-Saxon population, both high born and low. But given that the invading force never numbered more than some 10,000 Normans, help would be needed to achieve the subjugation demanded by the new king.
As a result, Odo ordered, on the new king’s instructions, a massive castle building programme, using the famous Norman motte and bailey plans that were so well copied in other parts of the world soon after.
These Norman castles were quickly built by masons and engineers brought in from Normandy, who worked on individual projects up and down the country under the watchful eye of the Master Mason. In general, there would be 2 types of masons who worked under him, the hewers, who carved the stones, and the layers, who placed the stones in to the building.
All of this, of course, was paid for by draconian taxes extracted from the local population. Taxes and tax collection, after all, lay at the heart of why the Domesday Book of 1086 was commissioned and why the surveyors sent out to every English town and village were ordered to be so thorough.
But alongside this huge Norman castle building programme, a huge mirror programme of cathedral building was also put in place, with 15 new Norman masterpieces put up in the next 90 years or so. Of these, 13 still remain, with only 2 lost to us: Old St Paul’s, burnt down in the Great Fire of London in 1666, and Old Sarum, soon replaced by Salisbury Cathedral, pulled down in the reign of Richard the Lionheart.


Photos in the gallery from the Norman church of Saint Mary and Saint David in Kilpeck, Herefordshire, England. It shows one of the well-preserved carved corbels supporting the roof, depicting a hound and a hare, in a delightful style of cartoon-like simplicity. Carved during the mid 12th century AD (late Norman period) by an unknown sculptor of the "Herefordshire School". (Photo by Simon Garbutt).

Another corbel from the Norman Kilpeck Church by Andy Dolman Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
Four corbels by Ciaran Byrne

13.5 inches high, approx, 55 pounds weight

THE LANES ARMOURY, THE PREMIER HOME OF ORIGINAL AND AFFORDABLE ANCIENT ANTIQUITIES , MILITARY ARMOURY ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES IN BRITAIN

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's most famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, 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, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.  read more

Code: 25806