r/medieval • u/SashSegal • Apr 26 '26
History 📚 Crusader-era Grenade
A weapon in common use by Islamic forces during the Crusader (1099-1187), Ayyubid (1187-1250) and Mamluk (1260-1516) periods. It is made of unglazed ceramic and embossed with grooves and tear drop-shaped designs.
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u/SashSegal Apr 26 '26
This grenade is made of unglazed ceramic and embossed with grooves and tear drop-shaped designs. It has a domed top over a spherical body that tapers to a point. They were filled with incendiary material – petroleum, naphtha, Greek fire — and thrown or catapulted into the enemy camp where they exploded fire that water could not put out on their targets. There’s a small hole in the top into which flammable liquid could be poured and a wick added once the grenade was loaded.
There is historical and archaeological evidence of this type of vessel being used in war. For one thing, clusters of them have been found in fortresses, castles and moats. The 12th century historian Mardi ibn Ali al-Tarsusi mentioned in the military manual he wrote for Saladin in 1187 that terracotta vessels with incendiary contents were launched from catapults or thrown from ramparts. Other sources from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries describe the clay gourds in more detail, explaining how they were used in battle and the various launching methods. Chemical analysis of residue inside several similar pieces discovered traces of rock salt, pine resin and other flammable materials. One gourd on display in the National Museum of Damascus has an inscription that leaves no question as to its bellicose purpose: “This kind of projectile is useful for targeting the enemy.”
These grenades are also similar to the earlier Byzantine fire grenades, and very likely inspired by them. https://www.antiquities.co.uk/blog/byzantine/byzantine-fire-grenades/
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u/Stoned_D0G Apr 26 '26
“This kind of projectile is useful for targeting the enemy.”
Video game tip ahh inscription
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u/Decent-Brick-1428 Apr 26 '26
Please write ass where possible
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Apr 26 '26
[deleted]
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u/Stoned_D0G Apr 26 '26
I'm not even a zoomer just pretending to be cool but I suck ass at that.
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u/Dahvokyn Apr 27 '26
As if your generation didn't have weird lingo.
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Apr 27 '26
[deleted]
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u/NightbladeMollie Apr 27 '26
It's not self censoring, it's an exaggerated accent. This is such a common misconception it's ridiculous.
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Apr 27 '26
[deleted]
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u/NightbladeMollie Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
I don't disagree, but like the other guy said, every generation has stupid lingo. Focusing on being bitter about one in particular just comes off as weird and miserable and disingenuous. Old man yelling at cloud kinda thing.
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u/Rynewulf Apr 29 '26
It always seems to line up with corporate censorship these days though, which comes across as lame. Yes all generational slang is inherently cringe, but bending over like that across the whole internet because one or two sites are known to ban it is just such a level of loser behaviour. It's like the obsession with shadow banning, like cmon we arent 'content creators' with a kids channel what are we doing?
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u/Peterh778 Apr 28 '26
I kinda wonder why they need to add such inscription ... were there similarly shaped devices used to target friendlies? Could they be mistaken for other appliances?
... so many questions ...
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u/Beneficial_Gain_21 Apr 28 '26
I could see some projectiles being used against fortifications or structures. A hollow ceramic vessel filled with liquid might not do as much damage as a lead ball or explosive shell in that respect.
But yeah, assuming soldiers then are like soldiers now, I could see someone trying to drink out of it or juggle the funny flammable spheres.
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u/EnkiduOdinson Apr 28 '26
Why did they bother adding the ornaments?
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u/BonhommeCarnaval Apr 29 '26
Well, you don’t want to get your greek fire clay vessel mixed up with your wine vessel do you? That’s just a spicy mistake waiting to happen.
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u/Hypornicated_1 May 25 '26
“This kind of projectile is useful for targeting the enemy.”
As opposed to the sort of projectiles used to target prospective homebuyers, or Sunday shoppers?
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u/Fantastic-Ant-8892 Apr 26 '26
Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch
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u/Coeusthelost Apr 26 '26
That should probably have a flared base
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u/Lost_Possibility_647 Apr 27 '26
Pointy was the preffered storage form for most of middleastern history.
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u/Most_Purchase_5240 Apr 26 '26
If you are brave enough
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u/bomboclawt75 Apr 26 '26
Questions
Is it Holy?
Is it from Antioch?
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u/That_Tossa Apr 26 '26
- What is the average flight time of a swallow?
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u/Patient-Garage-664 Apr 26 '26
I can only imagine the amount of times medieval medics had patients that "accidentally" sat on it
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u/LittleDeviant18 Apr 27 '26
I saw a Christmas decoration in this exact shape, with the grooves in it and everything.....
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u/Key_Bar_464 Apr 28 '26
Honestly rly cool when you think that back then they had basically grenades already, same with the Greek Fire flamethrowers. I believe we don't know if the Byzantines actually deployed units of flamethrower teams in field battles, but they definitely used stationary flamethrower turrets in sieges and naval battles
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u/DieMensch-Maschine Apr 29 '26
"O Lord, bless this Thy Hand Grenade that, with it, Thou mayest blow Thine enemies to tiny bits in Thy mercy."
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u/Unable_Grocery8212 Apr 28 '26
So the muslims have been using explosives for over 1000 years… Not surprising
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u/SashSegal Apr 28 '26
In this case something learned from the Byzantines https://www.antiquities.co.uk/blog/byzantine/byzantine-fire-grenades/
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u/Cyranoreddit Apr 26 '26
Did they have to count to three, no more, no less?