03-22-2010, 09:15 PM
I have read through the article of van Driel for rectangular scuta and although acceptably detailed, it does leave me with some questions. According to the article, the rectangular shield estimate is about 75cm wide from Vindonissa. She mentions that goat leather could not be larger than 55cm (It does not say horizontal nor vertical). As a matter of fact, the leather sales deparment here in the States also told me that goat veg tanned skins workable surface are around 23inches (horizontal) x 29 inches (vertical) (58cm x 78cm ). However, in the article it metions that the leather went around the scutum to the back anywhere between 5-10 cm (it does not say at the top/bottom or the sides although one would assume all around). Based on her measurements and mine, no goat skin would have been large enough (horizontally) to go around the sides of a scutum and provide enough wrap around let alone any material for the drawstring tunnel.
There is however, enough leather to go over the tops and bottoms (29 inches or 23 inches depending on the leather placement). The photo attached bewilders me as does the description. I have interpreted the drawing in two ways. The white part where the capricorns are is the face of the scutum cover and the gray is an extension that allows for a wrap around and includes the drawstring tunnel (notice the three sets of holes). This would make sense since you need the extra to go around the scutum sides. The other is that the top and its immediate sides have ample leather to wrap around the top and bottom (as mentioned that the goat skin is enough for tops and bottoms) providing enough distance for the drawstring tunnel while the gray is the reinforcment strips that she refers to attached to the main body of the leather.
I would go with the second choice where the top and bottom have enough leather to go around and that the gray is the reinforcment strips. However, what happens to the sides. I have a curve sided rectangular scutum and the point of the umbo level is wider than the rest of the scutum. Here, I would have to use extra goat leather as an extension. So for me the gray area drawn in my van Driel, can also be interpreted as an extension-no?
There had to be an extension somewhere otherwise there would not be enough leather to go around the sides and have enough for a drawstring. Even if the shield board is 75cm wide and the maximum goat leather width I can get is 78cm, it would not be possible to have enough to go over the sides of the shield and have a drawstring tunnel.
Going over the top and bottom is no problem. Goat leather 23inches or 29inches wide is perfect since my sctum is 40inches long. Thus two leathers with an inch overlap for the central seam leaves around 6.4cm on both ends. My concern is the sides. I would have to and and IMHO the Roman would have had to use some kind of extension since goat skin is used.
Any help in this argument would be appreciated
There is however, enough leather to go over the tops and bottoms (29 inches or 23 inches depending on the leather placement). The photo attached bewilders me as does the description. I have interpreted the drawing in two ways. The white part where the capricorns are is the face of the scutum cover and the gray is an extension that allows for a wrap around and includes the drawstring tunnel (notice the three sets of holes). This would make sense since you need the extra to go around the scutum sides. The other is that the top and its immediate sides have ample leather to wrap around the top and bottom (as mentioned that the goat skin is enough for tops and bottoms) providing enough distance for the drawstring tunnel while the gray is the reinforcment strips that she refers to attached to the main body of the leather.
I would go with the second choice where the top and bottom have enough leather to go around and that the gray is the reinforcment strips. However, what happens to the sides. I have a curve sided rectangular scutum and the point of the umbo level is wider than the rest of the scutum. Here, I would have to use extra goat leather as an extension. So for me the gray area drawn in my van Driel, can also be interpreted as an extension-no?
There had to be an extension somewhere otherwise there would not be enough leather to go around the sides and have enough for a drawstring. Even if the shield board is 75cm wide and the maximum goat leather width I can get is 78cm, it would not be possible to have enough to go over the sides of the shield and have a drawstring tunnel.
Going over the top and bottom is no problem. Goat leather 23inches or 29inches wide is perfect since my sctum is 40inches long. Thus two leathers with an inch overlap for the central seam leaves around 6.4cm on both ends. My concern is the sides. I would have to and and IMHO the Roman would have had to use some kind of extension since goat skin is used.
Any help in this argument would be appreciated
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Paolo
Paolo
