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+--- Thread: Question on making a gorytos (/showthread.php?tid=24605)
Question on making a gorytos - Dan D'Silva - 01-04-2015
Hello. I'm planning a new gorytos for Marathon 2015 but I haven't ordered the leather yet.
I notice that in the Persepolis reliefs, the bottom edges of gorytoi are fairly straight, whereas in Greek artwork showing what appears to be the same type with the curved upper edge, the bottom edge appears to follow the line of the bow staff slightly. It could be stretched to shape, but I feel like it would be more likely the result of a separate front and back piece with a bottom seam (as seen here -- a more extreme example but same idea), as failing to stretch the leather enough could leave it too tight. (The straight-bottomed version could also be two-piece, or just be a single piece folded up from the bottom.)
The differences might be explained as showing Persian versus Skythian preferences, but that's just my guess. The reason I ask is because I like the look of the more shaped version and it might allow for using smaller pieces of leather and saving a little money, but I'd like to know if you think I should instead stick with the straight-edged version.