Different view

Fun

Does the iron go all the way through the glande?

Definitely a deadly looking piece there. This seems like a piece made for "termination with extreme prejudice."

I wonder if only the highest level slingers recieved such ammunition?

Here are the weight and length measurements, top one is the original bullet, 58.08g, 1.623 inches/41.22mm. Center left is 61.20g, 1.544 inches/39.22mm. Center right is 66.15g, 1.641 inches/41.68mm. Bottom example is apparently missing a good amount of lead from one side, 44.39g, 1.675 inches/42.55mm. The bottom one is unusual, and as it (and the other 2) is still rather dirty some careful cleaning ought to reveal whether it was an incomplete cast (or an incomplete cast that got cold and then was filled up but the extra lead didn't adhere), perhaps partially melted away after getting launched, or had the lead shear off in some other strange manner. I don't see much evidence of it just having been mushed and deformed. Cleaning this one might provide valuable insight regarding the structure of the blade component. I'll keep y'all updated!

Understood, it would be much more useful if the items carried with them relevant contextual information, but for what it's worth the source stated that they were all found in disparate locations on the island; apparently corroborated by different patination/encrustations. Regarding dating them, there isn't anything archaeologically relevant to reference when they are singular items scattered in fields/rocky wastelands. Just like old coins detected in the wilderness, they themselves are about all the context that exists.

I found this thread, "A "winged" lead glans? DONE!" http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1328017619/1 with academic/museum references to the bladed bullets from Cyprus, do any of these professional sources present the date, context, and secure information regarding the items? My professor wife may have institutional access to the articles but I do not, I'll need to enlist her assistance soon but you yourself quoted one of the articles and may be aware.

Thanks for your thoughts! Generally the fine green carbonate patination occurs in moist environments, but in more arid environments bronze often gets a dark oxide patina, as is the case with 3 of the bullets and millions of bronze coins and artifacts from that region of the Mediterranean. One bullet appears to trend more to the green, but it is encrusted and as-yet uncleaned.

The primary diagnostic regarding authenticity is the condition of the lead. Lead oxidizes very slowly and it is supremely difficult to artificially age lead items, at least convincingly. These pieces have a very thick pale oxide rind, which has become fragile and cracked and even broken off in chunks as though it were a brittle mineral specimen in some spots. It would take much more than a few years, or indeed a few hundred years in urine-soaked manure or the like to accomplish this. You will see what I mean in the attached images.

I believe that 2 bullets may have been from the same workshop, the top and center right examples, but it is difficult to say. Perhaps there was only ever 1 workshop responsible for the manufacture of all the bullets, which were then distributed and lobbed at hapless enemies all over the island. The blades were certainly cast in molds, so while there were likely different mold sets, the superficial uniformity is to be expected, as in the case with "Scythian" bronze arrowheads mass-produced by the millions with many mold-matched points points being found.

I spent nearly 4 hours very carefully cleaning the bottom example, and I now am of the opinion that the blades are not necessarily joined in the middle, but likely separate "D" shaped blades, with the straight post securing the blades on/in the lead within the body, and the curved blade portion being hollow to allow molten lead to enter and firmly secure the blades in position on either end. The blades were painstakingly hammer-hardened and possibly crimped slightly into the lead body during finishing, after casting the lead body around them. The 2 center bullets appear to have been cast with an excess of lead, surrounding the portions of the bronze blades proximal to the core instead of being cast flush, as with the top and bottom of the 4. These clearly took a great deal of time, skill and energy to produce relative to the common lead bullets.

I'll probably sketch some of what I'm trying to convey, and would be happy to provide additional photographs. Also, I think the cleaning job worked out very nicely in revealing more information about manufacture, and the stark contrast between dark bronze and light lead is simply lovely. This one was the best candidate for cleaning but I may try cleaning 1 or 2 others.