04-02-2004, 04:54 PM
Vincula,<br>
Didn't notice this post right away, sorry.<br>
Most of the Kalkriese equipment finds are very small, and impossible to police up from a leave covered forest floor. Even a piece as large as the mask could be easily lost in woodlands as any military person on bivouac knows.<br>
<br>
The distribution of the artifacts suggests this could only have been a small skirmish. A large force would have covered a much larger area than where the artifacts were found.<br>
<br>
The Roman 'station' was along the trade route 'trail' where the objects were most concentrated (pottery, nails furniture fragements). The wall above was a 'last resort' defensive position which was not utilized.<br>
<br>
The buried Roman mule, in the very shadow of the so-called German 'ambush wall', indicates the wall must actually be Roman. Why would the Germans go to the trouble to bury a Roman mule?? Nor would Germanicus troops later, which would not have been possible as the skeleton was articulated, indicateing burial shortly after death.<br>
<br>
The absence of German equipment falsely suggest a German victory. In reality, the vast majority of Germans at this time would have virtually no metal possessions as the archaological record (contemporary grave goods) and tacitus' descriptions confirm. Most Germans were armed with clubs and sharpened sticks, and even used thorns to secure their short fur capes, which when the weather was not inclement, served as their only clothing.<br>
<br>
If the exact spot is found, and not washed away or covered by alluvial deposites, every battlefield will yield small bits of broken eqiupment. If fought in a forest, they are especially hard to find. Collectors find a vast array of belt buckles, bayonets, buttons, bullets etc, metal detecting the American Civil War battlefields. These battlefields were policed also, but it is almost impossible to find these things under the leaves without a metal detector.<br>
<br>
All of the evidence indicates this was a small skirmish between the garrision of a Roman 'station', probably a remount post for imperial messages, etc., and raiding Germans.<br>
Wishful thinking, and big buck grants has turned it into the romantic "last stand of Varus". I guess we can't blame them.<br>
If I were the arachaologist I'd want a guaranteed job for the next ten years too.<br>
<br>
Dan <p></p><i></i>
Didn't notice this post right away, sorry.<br>
Most of the Kalkriese equipment finds are very small, and impossible to police up from a leave covered forest floor. Even a piece as large as the mask could be easily lost in woodlands as any military person on bivouac knows.<br>
<br>
The distribution of the artifacts suggests this could only have been a small skirmish. A large force would have covered a much larger area than where the artifacts were found.<br>
<br>
The Roman 'station' was along the trade route 'trail' where the objects were most concentrated (pottery, nails furniture fragements). The wall above was a 'last resort' defensive position which was not utilized.<br>
<br>
The buried Roman mule, in the very shadow of the so-called German 'ambush wall', indicates the wall must actually be Roman. Why would the Germans go to the trouble to bury a Roman mule?? Nor would Germanicus troops later, which would not have been possible as the skeleton was articulated, indicateing burial shortly after death.<br>
<br>
The absence of German equipment falsely suggest a German victory. In reality, the vast majority of Germans at this time would have virtually no metal possessions as the archaological record (contemporary grave goods) and tacitus' descriptions confirm. Most Germans were armed with clubs and sharpened sticks, and even used thorns to secure their short fur capes, which when the weather was not inclement, served as their only clothing.<br>
<br>
If the exact spot is found, and not washed away or covered by alluvial deposites, every battlefield will yield small bits of broken eqiupment. If fought in a forest, they are especially hard to find. Collectors find a vast array of belt buckles, bayonets, buttons, bullets etc, metal detecting the American Civil War battlefields. These battlefields were policed also, but it is almost impossible to find these things under the leaves without a metal detector.<br>
<br>
All of the evidence indicates this was a small skirmish between the garrision of a Roman 'station', probably a remount post for imperial messages, etc., and raiding Germans.<br>
Wishful thinking, and big buck grants has turned it into the romantic "last stand of Varus". I guess we can't blame them.<br>
If I were the arachaologist I'd want a guaranteed job for the next ten years too.<br>
<br>
Dan <p></p><i></i>
