06-01-2010, 11:44 PM
I think almost any level of sculpting and decoration can be done in leather, and the colors are nearly limitless too. Sometimes I hear reenactors expressing doubt that Romans would have prized leather enough for a high ranking individual to spend a lot of sesterces on it and wear it, like it's a smelly piece of rawhide or something :lol: . What I imagine to be the case, if leather, is a high degree of workmanship through tooling and painting. I also think an officer might place higher priority on striking an awe-inspiring and heroic figure in front of the troops and civilians than actual defense. In many cases I think we're probably looking at stylized military garments with vestigial references to hellenistic military fashion rather than 'combat' gear.
Here is an example of what is possible [url:3h6lf0g4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqJFEhQJaSM&feature=related[/url]). I compare that to what we see in the statuary, relief, and terracotta figures and I think much of it seems feasible in leather. I think it is easy to imagine that leather armor produced with such a high degree of artistry would have been in demand among officers.
One of these days I'll have to give leather tooling a shot and post some pictures of how it works out.
--Kelsey
Here is an example of what is possible [url:3h6lf0g4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqJFEhQJaSM&feature=related[/url]). I compare that to what we see in the statuary, relief, and terracotta figures and I think much of it seems feasible in leather. I think it is easy to imagine that leather armor produced with such a high degree of artistry would have been in demand among officers.
One of these days I'll have to give leather tooling a shot and post some pictures of how it works out.
--Kelsey
Kelsey McLeod