CRUSADES POTTERY GRENADE, 10TH-12TH CENTURY

Byzantine. Just over 5” height, dark gray terracotta. The body of turnip form with the surface left rough for better purchase. Known as "Greek fire" these were filled with flammable pitch and thrown or catapulted. Upon impact, they would burst to spew their burning contents which would start fires as well as burn any enemy in their path. In the absence of antibiotics, such burns usually led to a slow death from infection.