Recreating the Herculaneum man with sword

[ROMan]

A useful model for the chain, perhaps?


[attachment=11833]79060.jpg[/attachment]

[sendanor]

Salvete people.

Much has been said til now on the weapons, tools, belt etc. of this soldier, but nothing yet on the bag he was carrying. Were the original leather pieces too fragmented to say anything on its final shape and was the Comacchio bag in Sumners reconstruction an educated guess, or are the fragments that reliable to say that Graham Sumner was completely right in giving the soldier the Comacchio bag in his reconstruction?

I looked at the pic of the skeleton and its surrounding remains, but I cannot find anything that points in some identifiable bag shape. Maybe someone has literature or picture references which show more to my eye? I would be much obliged.

[sendanor]

Salvete people.

Much has been said til now on the weapons, tools, belt etc. of this soldier, but nothing yet on the bag he ws carrying. Were the original leather pieces too fragmented to say anything on its final shape and was the Comacchio bag in Sumners reconstruction an educated guess, or are the fragments that reliablle tosay that Graham Sumner was completely right in giving the soldier the Comacchio bag in his reconstruction?

I looked at the pic of the skeleton and its surrounding remains, but I cannot find anything that points in some identifiable bag shape. Maybe someone has literature or picture references which show more to my eye? I would be much obliged.

[ROMan]

Salvete people.

Much has been said til now on the weapons, tools, belt etc. of this soldier, but nothing yet on the bag he was carrying.

I'm using the Commachio bag for this as well, it being the only preserved bag of an appropriate size, as far as I am aware. The tools were up on his shoulder, which might suggest something like a duffle slung over his shoulder, but the 500 degree blast would probably have moved stuff around a bit while it was incinerating anything easily burnable, so it is possible a bag like the Commachio example might have ended up where the tools were found. For museum engagement purposes, a shoulder bag is better as it leaves your hands free!

[sendanor]

I have tried to contact Albion swords on the origin of their so-called Herculaneum belt plate (see attachment) but every email I sent to [email protected] came back with recipient failures. Is Albion Swords out of business or does anybody know the correct email address?

Don't get me wrong: I also doubt this ''reconstruction" in the strongest possible manner, unless maybe any other visitor here knows more about its authenticity?

[sendanor]

I'm using the Commachio bag for this as well, it being the only preserved bag of an appropriate size, as far as I am aware. The tools were up on his shoulder, which might suggest something like a duffle slung over his shoulder, but the 500 degree blast would probably have moved stuff around a bit while it was incinerating anything easily burnable, so it is possible a bag like the Commachio example might have ended up where the tools were found. For museum engagement purposes, a shoulder bag is better as it leaves your hands free!

.

For these same practical reasons, Robert, I also tend to give the Comacchio bag priority above the loculus (which I doubt, considering its envelope shape was ever useful - if it even ever existed). But it would of course be worth while to know if there are other kinds of proof to argue for the Comacchio's military use.

[ROMan]

For these same practical reasons, Robert, I also tend to give the Comacchio bag priority above the loculus (which I doubt, considering its envelope shape was ever useful - if it even ever existed). But it would of course be worth while to know if there are other kinds of proof to argue for the Comacchio's military use.

I see some very nice reconstructions of the "loculus", but an oblong thing with some cross-straps is not a lot to go on; and the Commachio find is a single example. Bags are a pain!