09-05-2009, 07:50 PM
mm, as far as I can tell the plates would not have sat flush against the bowl, I don't have the measurements for the thickness of the bowl plates, but I assume they would not have had to be very thick to make it strong, so if the plates overlapping are relatively thin the decorative foils would be laid over the gaps, meaning if anything hit them they would instantly crumple as there was little supporting them in the middle section, its hard for me to explain, D.Tweedles "anglian helm from coppergate" has schematic drawings of the Valsgarde 8 that would explain it easier.
Stuart Davies