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Mike,
Most scale designs that I am aware of have four holes. I am not aware of any with three. The lengths of scales vary from 7mm to 1.3mm maximum length.
I too once thought that the scales were meant to look AND behave like feathers since they had the mid-rib and because they were bound at the top. However, Erik made me a sample that was about 2 inches square.
Although it is true that the mail has some flexibility albeit not that significant since the scales virtually lock the mail in place, to my surprise the scales would not flutter like feathers. The overalp of the scales is such that the upper rows prevent the lower ones from lifting and the upper ones themselves are in fact overalpped as well. I tried to make them flutter and it did not work. The only way was to physically push the scales up with my thumb and when I did, the upper rows covering the one I was pushing caused resistance since they were locked at the top by the mail.
I think it was a matter of appearence not fluttering. Maybe Erik may want to weigh in on this since he is making a complete plumata for me.
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Paolo
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Mike,
The wire thickness of the mail has to be something like .3-.5mm-no? It cannot be .9-1mm like some other mail wire thickness because you cannot get 4 links into one (European 4 to 1 pattern) if the inner diameter is 3mm. Lets not forget that part of the void volume of the link is taken up by the scale.
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Paolo
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Quote:Mike,
Most scale designs that I am aware of have four holes.
Paolo,
I fear you may have misunderstood Mike's comment; he refers here to regular scales where three pairs of holes can be found (one at the top, one at the left- and one at the right side of the scale).
Quote:I am not aware of any with three. The lengths of scales vary from 7mm to 1.3mm maximum length.
Four holes at the top is indeed the norm for this kind of armour, but you will be in for a surprise when you read the Journal. There is more variance among the scales than initially thought.
Regards,
Martijn
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Quote:Unless you actually see the stuff, it's very difficult to envisage just how small the scales are - around 5-7mm long. Even in this small scale, they have a median rib. I've always been intrigued by the name. Were they really meant to 'look' like feathers or were they meant to behave like feathers? Robinson states several times that sculptures such as the Adamklissi monument and some tombstones exaggerate the size of the scales. From even a small distance away, the median line, giving the appearance of a feather, is virtually invisible.
The medial ribs on larger scales (those attached to cloth or leather rather than mail) are visible from longer distances and look remarkably like feathers. Perhaps the Romans used the term "plumata" for these larger variants. There is no way that the Parthians would have covered their horses with scales as small as those found in the mail-and-scales variants we have, yet Justin calls it "plumata".
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Martijn,
Thanks for the clarification. I am quite sure that there were variances. However, the variances are not the norm which is why I made the comment.
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Paolo
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Sorry - I should have made my reply clearer. What I meant was that on the specimens we have in the museum at Caerleon, the median lines on the scales are invisible from any distance - although they are there and you can clearly see them when you get to within a foot or two.
We did some experiments along the lines that Martijn mentioned. We used a mail (reproduction) suit we have and tried adding the scales to that to see what the effect would be. Martijn is right, if the scales are attached tightly, there is very little movement possible. However, if the attachment wires are somewhat longer, then there is considerable movement of the scales when the suit is moved around. So, you pays yer money, etc.
Again, to be absolutely clear - in my earlier post a referred to the holes as being in threes meaning (as I think Martijn said) that I meant three pairs of holes, one pair each side and the third pair at the top.
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I received my copy and the Plumata sample. WOW! Great work on both!
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I am eagerly awaiting my own copy; hoping it comes in this week.
M.
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It will 
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I can only second John. Both the Journal and the sample piece are just great.
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Thank you guys! Erik and I enjoyed working on this issue very much.
Kind regards,
Martijn
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Very excellent work guys- the articles are fascinating and I'm totally in awe of the sample... I sure wish I had the patience to do work like that but 350,000 rings would drive me quite mad I'm sure :lol:
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Once again an awesome article, full of technical information beyond my expectations. The photographs are perfect; the equipment must have been expensive!
M.
-Michael Eversberg II
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Just received my copy and am distinctly impressed by the quality of the scholarship and production (not something that can be said of most of the stuff I get to see, sadly). Hours of fun to be had getting the thumbnail-size patch of - oops, what shall we call it?! - to sit correctly; did it once, dropped it... hang on... hmmm.
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I recieved mine, and many thanks for the sample of 'plumbata?'....It would be awesome to have a shirt of that!  hock: hock: hock:
The journal I look forward to reading as it looks to be a wealth of information at a quick glance!
Thanks to all who put this together, and Erik, that is amazing quality work! 8)
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
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