08-16-2011, 08:02 PM
There are certainly known examples of the 'turning key' method of fastening on chest plates from cavalry armour (or, at least, that is what it is assumed to be). One find (from Carnuntum - or perhaps Bregetio) shows the two chest plates, one of which has circular holes and the other with long rectangular slots. These can only really be explained through the use of the flat 'turning key' closure arrangement. Another plate (formerly in the Guttmann collection) shows the same slot arrangement.Yet a third example (illustrated in Marcus Junkelmann's book "Reiter wie Statuen aus Erz") actually shows a plate (again from Carnuntum) with one of the keys in situ. He also shows four examples of the keys on their own.
Turning to the Newstead type of lorica segmentata, the recent find from Carlisle showed a back plate with two rectangular holes, each surrounded by a brass trim. Another plate (also from Carlisle but from an earlier excavation) had a similar arrangement. Both the Newstead armour plates from Carlisle have been identified as being back plates. Two of the armour fragments that came from Newstead itself have been identified as being a breast and a back plate, respectively. The former has the pair of rectangular slots surrounded by the brass trim while the latter shows only one such slot (but is more incomplete).
However, it has to be said that - apart from the 'cavalry' equipment - there does not seem to be as far as I can see, any known example of a 'turning key' as such actually attached to a Newstead armour plate. It's difficult to imagine what else these could be, except the places where the turning keys would have fitted. Also, the cavalry armour certainly shows that this system was employed. Logically, it would seem that it is very likely to have been applied to the Newstead lorica segmentata, especially given the presence of those rectangular slots on the inside edges of the plates.
Mike Thomas
(Caratacus)
Turning to the Newstead type of lorica segmentata, the recent find from Carlisle showed a back plate with two rectangular holes, each surrounded by a brass trim. Another plate (also from Carlisle but from an earlier excavation) had a similar arrangement. Both the Newstead armour plates from Carlisle have been identified as being back plates. Two of the armour fragments that came from Newstead itself have been identified as being a breast and a back plate, respectively. The former has the pair of rectangular slots surrounded by the brass trim while the latter shows only one such slot (but is more incomplete).
However, it has to be said that - apart from the 'cavalry' equipment - there does not seem to be as far as I can see, any known example of a 'turning key' as such actually attached to a Newstead armour plate. It's difficult to imagine what else these could be, except the places where the turning keys would have fitted. Also, the cavalry armour certainly shows that this system was employed. Logically, it would seem that it is very likely to have been applied to the Newstead lorica segmentata, especially given the presence of those rectangular slots on the inside edges of the plates.
Mike Thomas
(Caratacus)
visne scire quod credam? credo orbes volantes exstare.
