shield reinforcing

[Mick Saunders]

I am looking to make a first century shield. Not yet sure about final spec. although I think probably auxiliary, probably gallic in style , and perhaps modified Danum shape. Still thinking about technique. I realise I do not know how the bracing at the back was fixed in order to ensure that it did the job it was supposed to do. I assume glue alone was not sufficient. Was there perhaps a use of bent over nails or pins? A kind of staple effect? Or was it pegged? I have not seen any archaeological discussion although this may just be my lack of knowledge. What have other people done with theirs and how does this hold up in combat situations? Any assistance would be appreciated.


Whilst I am on this topic I am interested in looking at the Fourth Gallic Cohort particularly since they seem to have been stationed about a mile from my home sometime in the first century . I already have a lot of info but more generally I wonder how long after formation ethnic influences would be evident?Did a native tradition continue and would this have been evident in costume and weapons? Again any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Donciorate]

I have made several shields in the Gallic and Germanic style and even up to viking I think I have made about 27 now. The historical and easy way to do it is to peg each individual plank together for one thing with lots of glue then when you add the facing and backing of either leather or fabric you pull it very tight and when the glue dries on it, the fabric will pull the planks together and hold them. Also if you add edging you must attach the edging to every plank this will provide stability to them and hold them in a standard form.

Another practice is to drill very small holes along the plank edges inside and out and when you glue them together you stitch wet rawhide strips over the seams using the holes. When the rawhide dries it will pull the seams tight and the glue will hold them, just cover this with the facing and you will have a tight seal as long as you don't leave you shield out in the rain for long periods of time.

[Peroni]

We don't see Roman shields made with planking until the third C. (Dura Europos) I would suggest stick to the ply method. Bracing can be attached by using small copper nails/panel pins. I have always a combination of both glue and pins.

If you really want it super strong, then copper roofing nails make good rivets!

The Danum shield (Published by Paul C. Buckland - Dept of Archaeology and Prehistory University of Sheffield 1986).

The shield was excavated in 1971 beneath the rampart of the 2nd century fort at Danum (Doncaster) Paul Buckland sums it up in his opening paragraph on the shield:

[i]“Whilst the majority of the objects found on Roman sites of the region can be matched by many similar pieces from elsewhere in Britain, the remains of the shield from Doncaster are so far unique in the Province and therefore merit fuller discussion.â€

[jkaler48]

I have tried the copper roofing nails on several shields bracing bending the
ends over to form sort of a staple. Predrill the holes for the end or you risk
cracking the brace wood. Gluing to the shield back in addition and then gluing strips of cloth over the wood bracing strips makes for a very secure bracing system.

[Matthew Amt]

Avete!

As I recall from the Dura Europas report, the bracing strips on the scutum were very flimsy things, held on simply by wooden pegs! So I would hesitate to think of them as doing some sort of heavy reinforcing job...

Glue holds the rest of the shield together just fine, so it should be sufficient for the bracing strips as well. On my first scutum, however, I added L-shaped sheet brass pieces to the face, just inside the corners, riveting them on with bronze nails that went through the bracing at the back. That help?

Matthew

[Donciorate]

I only suggested planking mainly because it is a common style for the shields of Germanic and Celtic tribes, and over extended periods of contact and conflict weapons and armor begin to morph. For example if an auxiliary were to crack said shield and needed to patch it he might turn to local artisans and there fore pick up local construction techniques.

[Matt Lukes]

Avete!

As I recall from the Dura Europas report, the bracing strips on the scutum were very flimsy things, held on simply by wooden pegs! So I would hesitate to think of them as doing some sort of heavy reinforcing job...

Glue holds the rest of the shield together just fine, so it should be sufficient for the bracing strips as well. Matthew

Absolutely- pegs and glue are what was really used, so presumably they worked well enough for the Romans. I'm not even convinced the strips on the reverse were any kind of significant bracing- a 3-ply scutum is a very solid thing, and the 'bracing' seemed to me to be almost superfluous when I'd finished making mine.

[jkaler48]

Avete!

As I recall from the Dura Europas report, the bracing strips on the scutum were very flimsy things, held on simply by wooden pegs! So I would hesitate to think of them as doing some sort of heavy reinforcing job...

Glue holds the rest of the shield together just fine, so it should be sufficient for the bracing strips as well. Matthew

Absolutely- pegs and glue are what was really used, so presumably they worked well enough for the Romans. I'm not even convinced the strips on the reverse were any kind of significant bracing- a 3-ply scutum is a very solid thing, and the 'bracing' seemed to me to be almost superfluous when I'd finished making mine.

Do you think the bracing was more like chrome strips on a automobile; Included because they had always been used and were expected but no longer serving an real purpose? I know it is difficult to say for sure as
so few Scuta survive but could what evidence there is support such an interpretation?

[Matt Lukes]

That's a good question John, however they're a later addition rather than something early that beocmes vestigal; the Kasr al-Harit scutum has none, so presumably at some point someone decided they'd be of some help. Certainly being on the back, I'd expect they were more functional than decorative. Really even though they were thin, they were nearly half the thickness of the scutum board itself (at least the one from Dura Europos is), so perhaps they represent a sufficient stiffening without adding a ton of weight?

When analyzing form and function we really do always have to think in terms of sufficiency rather than absolutes- something I have trouble with all the time LOL Just because the strips were thin doesn't necessarily mean what they do provide wasn't considered a sufficient improvement...

[jkaler48]

So the strip function can be checked by making up about 40 authentically made Scuta half with and half without strips and testing them to destruction in mock battles to see what happens. Now if I could just get a Government grant or win the Powerball lottery .....

[Peroni]

There are metal shield strengtheners from Masada, so that is an option as well!! :wink:

[Tarbicus]

Avete!

As I recall from the Dura Europas report, the bracing strips on the scutum were very flimsy things, held on simply by wooden pegs! So I would hesitate to think of them as doing some sort of heavy reinforcing job...

Glue holds the rest of the shield together just fine, so it should be sufficient for the bracing strips as well. Matthew

Absolutely- pegs and glue are what was really used, so presumably they worked well enough for the Romans. I'm not even convinced the strips on the reverse were any kind of significant bracing- a 3-ply scutum is a very solid thing, and the 'bracing' seemed to me to be almost superfluous when I'd finished making mine.

Makes me wonder if arrows were the main weapon they were used against.

[Matt Lukes]

There are metal handle reinforcing bars from Vindonissa and a bunch of other sites too, but then that's rather more understandable because the impacts occurring during close combat would put a good deal of strain on the handle-board connections. Maybe even a year or years of lugging the thing around caused enough breakages to warrant the reinforcement just to keep the repair details from being overworked.

Makes me wonder if arrows were the main weapon they were used against.

Do you mean that they might be intentionally made light to deal with the most common threat Jim?