05-05-2014, 05:54 PM
Well, the last two images you posted are hardly representative of the western steppes - from my research I understand basically 3 cultural zones in the Eurasian steppe - the western Steppe which was influenced by Europe, Central Asia which was heavily Persianised, and eastern Central Asia, which was heavily Sinicised. Personally, I do not like crossing boundaries without evidence of such appearing in two (or more) zones. The Orlat plaque I would certainly place in the eastern Central Asia sphere, although Orlat itself is just north of Samarqand. A loooooooooong distance from Europe. Occasionally, Chinese influences were found in Europe but I wouldn't assume it the norm.
When talking about combination scale and lamellar armour in Central Asia, they are often combined as a scale bib covering the chest, and lamellar abdomen armour with skirt - this is common in Sogdiana and Xinjiang, although at a much later date than what you are doing. Although, you may recall an armour in Simonenko's book which had a chest protector of very small scales and an abdomen guard of larger plates stitched to a leather backing? Similar to the Dura Europos armoured lancer.
Scale is more flexible than rigid / tight laced 8 hole lamellar as you are wearing, but significantly less flexible than hanging lamellar which can be made by weaving the lamellar loosely vertically. This is possible with 8 hole lamellar but only gives a few cm of slack at most because the holes are so close to the edge.
What does Simonenko say about the second blurry illustration? I see lamellar, and lamellar-banded armour - typical of the early Turks in the 6th - 9th Centuries in the Altai region. The banded-lamellar armour covering his shoulders appears in Japan and Xinjiang, but does not appear further west in this period. I'm unsure if the banded rerebraces/spaulders of the Kushano-Sasanians and 4th-?5th Century Sasanians were laced or riveted.
As for the Orlat Battle Plaque - to me it quite clearly shows lamellar of the Niya variety (2nd -3rd Century) laced in a fashion almost identical to the charioteers on the Terracotta Army much earlier. Some of the riders may be wearing early varieties of Central Asian plate armour - similar to Arsacid, Sasanian, Korean, and most famously, Japanese "tanko" armours.
When talking about combination scale and lamellar armour in Central Asia, they are often combined as a scale bib covering the chest, and lamellar abdomen armour with skirt - this is common in Sogdiana and Xinjiang, although at a much later date than what you are doing. Although, you may recall an armour in Simonenko's book which had a chest protector of very small scales and an abdomen guard of larger plates stitched to a leather backing? Similar to the Dura Europos armoured lancer.
Scale is more flexible than rigid / tight laced 8 hole lamellar as you are wearing, but significantly less flexible than hanging lamellar which can be made by weaving the lamellar loosely vertically. This is possible with 8 hole lamellar but only gives a few cm of slack at most because the holes are so close to the edge.
What does Simonenko say about the second blurry illustration? I see lamellar, and lamellar-banded armour - typical of the early Turks in the 6th - 9th Centuries in the Altai region. The banded-lamellar armour covering his shoulders appears in Japan and Xinjiang, but does not appear further west in this period. I'm unsure if the banded rerebraces/spaulders of the Kushano-Sasanians and 4th-?5th Century Sasanians were laced or riveted.
As for the Orlat Battle Plaque - to me it quite clearly shows lamellar of the Niya variety (2nd -3rd Century) laced in a fashion almost identical to the charioteers on the Terracotta Army much earlier. Some of the riders may be wearing early varieties of Central Asian plate armour - similar to Arsacid, Sasanian, Korean, and most famously, Japanese "tanko" armours.
Nadeem Ahmad
Eran ud Turan - reconstructing the Iranian and Indian world between Alexander and Islam
https://www.facebook.com/eranudturan
Eran ud Turan - reconstructing the Iranian and Indian world between Alexander and Islam
https://www.facebook.com/eranudturan