06-01-2017, 10:08 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-01-2017, 10:37 AM by Crispianus.)
Copys of the 1905-06 report which I believe are identical except for page numbers can be found here:
From ADS "Proceeding of The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland", you may need to agree to the terms to download:
http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/arch...03_546.pdf
And on the Internet Archive here:
https://archive.org/details/texts?and[]=...BAR%20HILL,
ADS version Page 519-20:
"From the outlying ditch that covered the E. gate of the fort there were taken four objects of
the same class. One of these, which is shown in fig.40 (No. 4), appears
to furnish a clue to the real nature of the whole set. The tang is long,
out of all proportion to what would have been possible in a tool or in
the spike of a spear-shaft; it measures 4.25 inches, or rather more than
twice as much as the head to which it belongs.
Withal it is incomplete, the end showing clear signs of fracture.
The pilum, or heavy javelin of
the Roman soldier, is known to us, not only from the monuments, hut
also from actual specimens. One of its leading characteristics was
the great length of the iron head; inclusive of tang (if the word ' tang'
be appropriate in the circumstances), it was about as long as the wooden
shaft. If fig. 40, No. 4, be a fair index, we shall perhaps be justified
in regarding the whole of the twenty-six objects in question as broken
heads of pila. The variation in their size is entirely in favour of this
hypothesis."
In total 26 (25 in Robertson, Scott and Keppie with 8 illustrated) heads, four from outside the east gate (at least one may be broken in use) and 22 in the well were found for the most part broken closely to the heads...
To me this seems deliberate though, if you think about it whats the chances of recovering 22 broken heads damaged in use in such a quantity from target practice say let alone combat? far likely that they were collected after deliberatly being broken off... except perhaps for the four from the east gate ditch...
I would suggest that if these were pilums then the heads were deliberatly broken off to re-use the shaft material which would be quite usefull for many items... possibly from already damaged or broken pilum shafts..
It should be noted theres a good deal of various items of scrap iron in the well.
22 pilum Heads from the well
Scrap iron mostly from the well
Ross your image doesn't show....
From ADS "Proceeding of The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland", you may need to agree to the terms to download:
http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/arch...03_546.pdf
And on the Internet Archive here:
https://archive.org/details/texts?and[]=...BAR%20HILL,
ADS version Page 519-20:
"From the outlying ditch that covered the E. gate of the fort there were taken four objects of
the same class. One of these, which is shown in fig.40 (No. 4), appears
to furnish a clue to the real nature of the whole set. The tang is long,
out of all proportion to what would have been possible in a tool or in
the spike of a spear-shaft; it measures 4.25 inches, or rather more than
twice as much as the head to which it belongs.
Withal it is incomplete, the end showing clear signs of fracture.
The pilum, or heavy javelin of
the Roman soldier, is known to us, not only from the monuments, hut
also from actual specimens. One of its leading characteristics was
the great length of the iron head; inclusive of tang (if the word ' tang'
be appropriate in the circumstances), it was about as long as the wooden
shaft. If fig. 40, No. 4, be a fair index, we shall perhaps be justified
in regarding the whole of the twenty-six objects in question as broken
heads of pila. The variation in their size is entirely in favour of this
hypothesis."
In total 26 (25 in Robertson, Scott and Keppie with 8 illustrated) heads, four from outside the east gate (at least one may be broken in use) and 22 in the well were found for the most part broken closely to the heads...
To me this seems deliberate though, if you think about it whats the chances of recovering 22 broken heads damaged in use in such a quantity from target practice say let alone combat? far likely that they were collected after deliberatly being broken off... except perhaps for the four from the east gate ditch...
I would suggest that if these were pilums then the heads were deliberatly broken off to re-use the shaft material which would be quite usefull for many items... possibly from already damaged or broken pilum shafts..
It should be noted theres a good deal of various items of scrap iron in the well.
22 pilum Heads from the well
Scrap iron mostly from the well
Ross your image doesn't show....
Ivor
"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
