11-17-2008, 06:58 PM
Salve Wes,
All Mainz scabbards that I know of had a wooden core - the Vindonissa Mainz-type sword used limewood. To add support to this, there was guttering (either brass or iron) soldered at the top by a locket-plate, and at the bottom by a chape-terminal. This seems to have been the standard method of contruction. The various chronological styles may have varied in detail, but the basic construction principles remained the same.
The wooden core would most likely have been covered with leather, though some later swords used fabric instead (ref Dura Europas report - Simon James).
Almost all surviving scabbards had at least some metal framework.
The best book on the subject is Christian Miks' monograph (in German), very expensive but nothing else comes close!
Hops this helps.
Vale,
Celer.
All Mainz scabbards that I know of had a wooden core - the Vindonissa Mainz-type sword used limewood. To add support to this, there was guttering (either brass or iron) soldered at the top by a locket-plate, and at the bottom by a chape-terminal. This seems to have been the standard method of contruction. The various chronological styles may have varied in detail, but the basic construction principles remained the same.
The wooden core would most likely have been covered with leather, though some later swords used fabric instead (ref Dura Europas report - Simon James).
Almost all surviving scabbards had at least some metal framework.
The best book on the subject is Christian Miks' monograph (in German), very expensive but nothing else comes close!
Hops this helps.
Vale,
Celer.
Marcus Antonius Celer/Julian Dendy.
