03-09-2006, 11:07 AM
Mike Bishop and I have had some discussions about the way that the plates on the manica are arranged. Apart from the Carlisle find, there is only one complete manica that I know of - and that comes from Leon in Spain. The plates on this quite clearly overlap upwards (Mike sent me a photo of it, which includes the plate over the back of the wrist). Mike's contention is that this allows a sword blow to be directed up into the (inside) elbow area where, because of the bending of the arm, the plates will overlap and increase the protection there.
I'm not so sure! It seems to me that this is the very last thing you would want, as a sword blow there would very likely numb the arm and cause you to drop your sword - however 'good' the protection is.
Examination of mosaics, samian pottery figures and the metopes on the Adamklissi monument all seem to suggest to me that the plates overlapped downwards - like the tiles on the roof of a house. Such an arrangement would tend to make a sword catch. In any case, protection is also effected by the thick padding that was worn beneath the armour.
I'm not so sure! It seems to me that this is the very last thing you would want, as a sword blow there would very likely numb the arm and cause you to drop your sword - however 'good' the protection is.
Examination of mosaics, samian pottery figures and the metopes on the Adamklissi monument all seem to suggest to me that the plates overlapped downwards - like the tiles on the roof of a house. Such an arrangement would tend to make a sword catch. In any case, protection is also effected by the thick padding that was worn beneath the armour.
visne scire quod credam? credo orbes volantes exstare.
