New discovery shows spear wrapped in a rope

[Orlirva]

This reminded me that a book about Roman cavalry, was quoting a description of a cavalry exercises. The cavalry (this is pre- stirrup days) first practiced throwing javelins, and then they practiced lance work. The lance was used in the 'normal way' to thrust from the hand or couched, but was also thrown. The description of one way of throwing it was striking:
They whirled it around their heads fast until it started making
a 'Whirring' should (a vibrating hum) and then would release it,
throwing it that way (and it would then accurately hit the
target).
I'm not sure I understand.
>
Are they holding it by the butt, and then using the centrifugal force
to send it off sling-shot style?
Something to do with a rope?
>
Any interpretations out there?
_______
Rick Orli

Hi there,

If he's a cavalryman, perhaps the rope is just part of horse equipment, whip, lasso, whatever.

If it's a depiction (however idealised) of an actual person, rather than a god, perhaps he was a famous rider or horse-breaker?

regards

David Brown

[Kineas]

Anyone here a goldsmith?

The answer may well be that braiding gold wire gave the best impression of a spear for the scale of the work. You still see it in Africa and the Mid-East, for instance. In which case, it would only speak to the quality of metalwork and not to "representation." Braided wire work is often used on Scythian stuff, too.

Stated a different way, you'll note that the technique used on most of the figure, which is repousse, wouldn't work for a narrow, straight object without confusing the eye. So the artist/craftsman decided to use a 3 dimensional item to add the spear. I see more braided wire work on the decorative panels but the image is too small to be sure. It seems to me that he used straight wire at the top to represent the spearhead and then braided wire to represent a thicker shaft. But that's just what I see.

[Salvianus]

why not a rope to sling the spear across the man's shoulder or back? How would a cavalryman carry such a spear when not in combat?

That's my bet. Assuming it's not a snake. There's a quote from the Roman period about cavalrymen slinging the spear: it seems to work well enough:

[richard robinson]

Last night at training I wrapped some light rope about a javelin to make an armentum. It looked pretty much like the illustration and definitely helps with distance and accuracy.
Regards
richard

[MikeTrevor]

Not making any comment about the find, but like Richard Robinson says I seem to recall that rope was wrapped around olympic javelins to spin them when released - thus getting greater accuracy and distance. A bit like a rifle bullet...

Regards

M

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Mike,this rope was different. It was a stripe actually,that was tied to for a thong. Despite some assuming it was wrapped around the shaft in order to make it spin,we always see it tied into a permanent thong,even when the javelin is already in the air. Also,my amature experiments have shown that the permanent thong was very useful while the wrapped stipe offered nothing. I have to repeat the experiments with proper spear,though.
Khaire
Giannis

[rogue_artist]

Any chance it was merely to help grip? Like what 16th century Landsknechts did with their pikes and halberds?

Just another optional theory.