Scutum Tegimen

[Matthew Amt]

1) Those straps that hang on the front, are they sewn under the ansata?

Probably under the edge of it, yeah. (Though knowing the Romans, they probably had a hinge somewhere...)

2) Do those staps hang loosely or are they sewn onto the main body

Loose, as Jurjen says.

3) Is the buldge for the umbo one piece including the decorative border OR is the buldge sewn onto the main body first and then the decorative border is place around the base of the buldge where it meets the main tegimen body and sewn into place?

Right, again as Jurjen said, the dome is sewn flat to the body and the dagged ring goes over it. In fact one line of stitching can go through the inner edge of the dagged ring *and* secure the flange of the dome to the body, then one more line of stitching goes around the outer edge of the ring.

4) Why use felt for a contrast on the ansata and not dyed leather. Is there evidence for this two tone?

I had some red wool, so that's what I used! I don't recall exactly what evidence there is for a contrasting background, but I think there is some. Also, I think my friend Tom first made his cover (the dark one in that top photo on my Shield Cover page) with red leather behind his tabula, and all the oil made it almost the same color as the rest of the leather. So it hardly showed up. He swapped it for red wool, and it shows up much better. Actually, my cover REALLY needs another good coat of oil!

Strictly speaking, if you just use leather of a different color for the decorated tabula (and/or whatever other parts), they will probably contrast some with the body anyway, without the need for a colored backing. I think Van Driel-Murray suggested the possibility that some decorations were done with tawed leather, which would be white or off-white, and not as resistant to rot as regular tanned leather, hence covers with stitching but no surviving decorations. I'm not sure about that, because I find that stitching on leather things is always rotting away, so the decorations could simply have fallen off. Not to mention that some decorative parts (of regular tanned leather) *have* been found. But there are options. Someone else on RAT suggested recently that the whole darn cover could have been dyed, and here we all are just making them brown. Pretty exciting idea! Almost TOO exciting. But intriguing nonetheless.

Vale,

Matthew