Scutum Handles / Straps

[Chance1234]

I know there are quite a few topics on this which i have searched through! but was wondering if a few people wouldnt mind posting pictures of their handles /straps and saying, what they think the advantages are.

The last bunch of scutums i made were for a film, so the handles were made to suit "actors". The next bunch im making is for myself and sale so would appreciate and idea on what everyone prefers /like.

thanks

[Mithras]

I know there are quite a few topics on this which i have searched through! but was wondering if a few people wouldnt mind posting pictures of their handles /straps and saying, what they think the advantages are.

The last bunch of scutums i made were for a film, so the handles were made to suit "actors". The next bunch im making is for myself and sale so would appreciate and idea on what everyone believes is the most accurate. thanks

Sorry D

[Chance1234]

I wanted to avoid using the word authentic, because looking at a lot of the posts before hand, that seems to kick off a debate!

[FAVENTIANVS]

EVERYTHING is a debate here. :wink:

[Chance1234]

lol yeap kind of picked that up,

[Matthew Amt]

Well, I'm not sure what you mean, since as folks have pointed out we just do like the Romans did (as far as we can tell!). Here's how I do scutum handles:

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/scugrp3.jpg

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/scugrp.jpg

Pretty much the same as Faventianus shows on that later shield. Sure, you could wrap these with string or leather for a more comfy grip if necessary, but why should they be unsuitable for actors? Aren't actors built pretty much like other humans?

Matthew

[Matt Lukes]

Hi Chance,

James, in his Final Report, writes of the large, semi-cylindrical Dura scutum's handle that:

"The central grip simply consisted of the thickening of the central portion of one of the reinforcing strips at the point where it crossed the central aperture. This thickening apparently projected towards the bearer, rather than towards the boss as seems to be the case on most of the other shields from Dura. The heavy rawhide lashings which are recorded as reinforcing the grip on each side are now missing (Rep. VI, 457)."

So I make my handles following that description- starting with a 2cm square piece of stock and rounding a handle, then thinning the majority of the ends to form the 2cm wide x 5mm thick stiffener. Then the actual grip portion can be wrapped in rawhide, leather or left uncovered as desired.

[Chance1234]

thats the point

as best as can be figured out from the archaeological or sculptural evidence.

"as we can tell.."

As I understand and looking through the posts on a search for scutum handle/shield handle etc , theres the bracing which is on the dura shield like the way you in your pictures , there is what the doncaster shield which has Vertical handles, also I have seen shields wihtout the bracing and just the centrebit of wood semi circle wrapped with leather , and i have also seen leather handles, incorporated into a strap onto which the shield can also be hung on to the shoulder.

Also looking at shields from other eras / cultures, im sure you will agree there many different ways to handle / stap a shield.

Now also as well going to practicality, the pure numbers of scutums made during the roman emprie , Im sure they got it down to a very fine art, and im sure though there might not be any archelogical evidence to back it up , there are could be better ways.

Going back to my question , I was asking for peoples own opinions on what they prefer. I am particular interesting in strapping. two ways that spring to mind with the scutum , is two vertical straps coming up from the edge of the boss in a loop , which would allow for the scutum to be rested on the shoulder very easily , which i imagine would be handy for long marches, or as someone elsei think of the forum has already done , hanging the shield horizontally by the side of the body.

In the new Year I will be supplying a whole lot or roman bits and pieces (along with some greek and medieval) , reason being Is im self producing a documentary on the battle of watling street and a feature film based on the aftermath of Varus's defeat, so i am stockpiling props and hopefully by also selling what im producing i can help finance these two productions. secondly most of the work i have been doing over the last three years has involved guns.

The first thing i am making is the scutums, then i will be moving onto the pugio and pillum's.

finally, actors have a habit of dropping/breaking things and complaining about weight.

[Matt Lukes]

Straps of any kind are purely conjectural, so any suggestion is as good as any other- Dr. Markus Junkelmann made a rather intricate harness years ago. Personally, I just like a closed-loop strap wrapped around the handle as opposed to one with any kind of attachments- attachments can be a weak point and I don't know of any evidence of such objects.

[Matthew Amt]

Oh, yeah, most of us have a carrying strap of some sort. I generally attach a couple rings to the back, often using the two middle rivets that secure the boss. I have read that the Fayum shield had a couple iron rings on the back, but never saw any clear illustration. Several of the round shields from Dura Europas have a big rivet or two, probably for securing a shoulder strap. Mind you, it is generally believed that the shoulder strap was only used on the march, not in battle, but few of us want to rule anything out entirely!

I used to do the grips same way as Matt L, in fact that first photo link I posted has one of those. I cut the central brace in one piece and made it thicker in the center, like the handle on a bow. It was a bit of work, and I was always breaking the ends off while trying to round and finish the edges and such. Suddenly one day it hit me that all I had to do was cut the central hole in 2 halves--LIKE THE ORIGINALS!-- and slap another strip across it to make the grip!! Doh! Much easier, and probably stronger. But I certainly don't object to the other method.

Certainly there were other ways to hold shields in other times and places. But the Romans seem to have stuck with the single grip most of the time, usually horizontal but occasionally vertical. Either could have the carrying strap as well. Making things simple enough to produce as props, and light yet strong enough for the actors, is mostly a matter of materials, I'd say. Slice up some plastic barrels?

Looking forward to your productions! Valete,

Matthew

[Chance1234]

re matters of meterials

thats one of the things im most looking forward to in making this stuff "proper". My industry is all about makign things look real , currently sitting in my lap is some balsa wood and putty , which im slowly working into a RPG grip to look like metal and rubber construction(what a way to spend a saturday night) . Certantly when i do the Varus film (working title is Silva Superior - not sure whether thats correct latin yet) my opening shot is the column of Legio XVII moving through the forest , for the shields there as tehy will be on scutum carriages with their covers on , they will just be single piece of plywood, bit of foam and PVC. whilst my hero props will be made to a high standard and up to scrutiny of close up lens and you lot! ;-) )