Embosing and Tinning Scabbard plates ect ?

[maarten]

and hereby the bottomplate of the Tiberiussword.

maarten

[maarten]

And finely, hereby my reconstruction of the Marsscabbard. It still has to be tinned.

Maarten

www.paxromana.nl
cohors XV vol c.R.
classis Augusta Germanica

[Robert Vermaat]

Very nice work!

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

VEry good! And Close to the original! Laus for you.

[Crispvs]

Very nice work Maarten!

As the brass is so thin on the plates of the 'Tiberius sword', did you back it with another material to stop it from being crushed if it knocks against something? If you did, what did you use?

Crispvs

[maarten]

Crispvs,

I used tin solder, but Tacitus writes that the Romans used pitch for swords and helmets.

In the past I've made several of them, the first took me 200 hours, the others 120. Unfortunately they can not be made with a stamp (which i off coures tried) as this wrinkles the brass foil. I presume the Romans used a raw model for the larger shapes and did the rest by hand.

Byron, the embossed scabbard in the middle comes from Valkenburg. It was found under the doorstep of a centurio building in the castellum. It was definately an offering while building the centurio chambers. I identified it as part of a centurio sword. Next to it pieces of a Roman belt were found, with the same motive (acanthus leaves). The motive is very know and stands for the glory of the Roman empire/emperor: the emperor gives growth and glory (see also Ara Pacis in Rome etc). After I have finished making the Roman facemask from Leiden-Roomburg (NL) I will make a reconstruction of the centurio scabbard.

In an other centurio chamber an Imperial Gallic Helmet E was found, also an offering. It did not have a forehead band as all other Imperial Gallic helmets have. It wasn't missing either, no holes for fastening it were visible under Q rays. The appliques were silvered. The edges on the front and neckplate were not covered in bronze but with leather with goldfoil on it. I also think this to be a centuriohelmet.

I published both items in 1995 nad 1997 in the Oudheidkundige mededelingen van het Rijksmuseum van Oudheden te Leiden (OMROL)

Maarten

[brennivs - tony drake]

Wow thanks Maarten for the excellent pics great work D D
Regards Brennivs

[Peroni]

In an other centurio chamber an Imperial Gallic Helmet E was found, also an offering. It did not have a forehead band as all other Imperial Gallic helmets have. It wasn't missing either, no holes for fastening it were visible under Q rays. The appliques were silvered. The edges on the front and neckplate were not covered in bronze but with leather with goldfoil on it. I also think this to be a centuriohelmet.

Are there any drawings of this helmet Maarten?

I wonder is it the one that is listed in HRR with the rearward set crest holder?

[maarten]

Adrian
This is the Imperial Gallic E published by HRR and after restoration again by me in 1997 in the OMROL. I'ts from Valkenburg ZH, The Netherlands.
Send me an email though our website and I'll respond.

Greetings

Maarten

[Peroni]

email sent!

[Matt Lukes]

I don't have a decent picture of the replica Matt made for my brother. Perhaps Matt has one...

Totally missed this thread until now- sure I have some photos of the Lobith I made for Tom :wink: Here's one:

[jvrjenivs]

Wow, that's a nice scabbard, Matt. Awesome. Would I was able to make only something that lookes like that.

[Matt Lukes]

In the past I've made several of them, the first took me 200 hours, the others 120. Unfortunately they can not be made with a stamp (which i off coures tried) as this wrinkles the brass foil. I presume the Romans used a raw model for the larger shapes and did the rest by hand.

A stamp, no, but a negative die, yes. Clearly the embossed types of scabbard plates have nice, clean lines suggesting they weren't made with stamps but with dies- a simple engraved brass plate into which the sheet metal could be hammered. It's a million times more efficient than repousse/chasing by hand, and really gives a far cleaner look. The Romans had great experience making such dies for coins, so one that's not so tiny for scabbard plates was surely no difficulty at all. I recently made a Lupercal balteus plate from 0.5mm thick brass using my die and it turned out quite nicely- and that was just using a single die; if I had a positive one as well, the work would be even easier. I actaully suspect that the 'stamp' in Colchester is actually a positive die just separated from its negative. And at least one probable negative die is known- interestingly with a pattern of vines and flowers very reminiscent of the middle panel of the Fulham scabbard.

[Matt Lukes]

Thanks Jurjen It took quite a while to get all the tiny details right- far longer than I expected, but it was worth it in the end.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

That is a really nice scabbard Matt!
I had never really liked it before! Laude for that..... :? lol: