decorated samnite belts

[jvrjenivs]

Okay, as I did my first belt last year, I now have to make more for some others of my group. I also like to do another one for myself and I'm thinking about making a decorated one.

I know the embossed one shown in Junkelmann, but that is too difficult for me, at the moment, at least. So I was looking for some other ideas.

When looking at various mosaics, I spotted that some belts are shown unicolored and others multicolored, as you can see on those pictures.
(I'm sorry, the pictures are so small. Couldn't find bigger now)



What do you think. Is this artistic license, or could original belts have been decorated with colored inlays?

[john m roberts]

The Villa Borghese mosaic is very late, probably late 4th century, and the belts look like leather with metal applique. Earlier depictions show narrower belts that appear to be bronze. The fashion may have changed.