11 September 2013

Sling bullet from the 4th century BC


From the collections of the incomparable British Museum:
Lead sling bullet; almond shape; a winged thunderbolt on one side and on the other, in high relief, the inscription DEXAI "Catch!"

Shot of this type have been excavated from the Pnyx at Athens, associated with the Sullan siege of the city (TER).

5 comments:

  1. Wayne ConradSeptember 11, 2013 at 1:44 PM

    No lack of humor in the 4th century BC!

    Was it for a sling rather than a slingshot?

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    1. MinnesotastanSeptember 11, 2013 at 2:21 PM

      I was typing too fast; you are quite correct. Title amended. Tx, Wayne.

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  2. UnknownSeptember 11, 2013 at 4:34 PM

    It is sling shot. Shot rather than stone for a sling.

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  3. 032125September 13, 2013 at 5:56 PM

    Interesting, there an illustration of a sling bullet interpreted as "Dexa" translated as "Take That!" in the book "Warfare in the Classical World" by John Warry et al. I wonder if it's the same bullet.

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    1. Billy D BunnyFebruary 23, 2020 at 4:50 PM

      It sure looks like it. Warfare In The Classical World is one of my faves, when I have looked the bullet up it always appears to be the one in the illustration. Odd that there are not more, but lead was presumably valuable so they would have been picked up whenever possible.

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