Aalen Hamata?

[richsc]

[url:gu7eebqz]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=179253445426211&set=a.144706172214272.22554.139483296069893[/url]

This rather large Hamata showed up on a Facebook posting. The person did not say if it were Roman or not, nor details. Has this been on RAT before?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I was wondering about the ring sizes when I saw it, plus the fact it appears(to me) they are not of a riveted/solid ring construction.
I would be interested to know too!

[jho]

I am pretty sure that it is the lorica hamata recovered from a well in the vicus of Rainau-Buch.

If my recollection is correct that it was associated with the helmet and other finds from that site, it has a very precise date:

Wells no. 9 (containing the helmet and I believe the hamata) and 13 (containing the famous bronze hoard) contained remains of only roughly trimmed wooden beams which had been cut from the same tree and apparently not been finished when they were deposited in the wells together with burnt material and then sealed with clay. The wood has been dendrochronologically dated to 254 AD and it is presumed that the vicus was destroyed by fire in this year and the material then deposited in the well when the site was cleaned up.

The full publication is: Forschungen und Berichte zur Vor- und Frühgeschichte in Baden-Württemberg, Band 106, Heft / Teilband 02 Bernhard A. Greiner Rainau-Buch II. Der römische Kastellvicus von Rainau-Buch (Ostalbkreis). Die archäologischen Ausgrabungen von 1976 bis 1979. Katalog und Tafeln ISBN: 978-3-8062-2244-9 (I have not yet read it myself).

[jho]

I have had a chance to quickly scan the publication yesterday. The amour in the picture appears to be the one from Rainau-Buch.

It was in fact found in well no. 9 together with the helmet. The well was built in 160 AD (or was it 180 AD?), so this gives the terminus post and 254 AD the terminus ad with a deposition in 254 AD appearing highly likely to me.

It is believed to be substantially complete and with 5.7 kg rather on the light side of Roman mail shirts. It consists of punched 7.5 mm rings and riveted 10 mm rings. CT analysis has shown that it is completely devoid of fittings such a hooks, plates, buttons etc. but that a third type of ring, larger than the other two, was used in places.

[Bernhard A Greiner]

Hello army talker,
Yes, Jens Horstkotte is right.
That is the hamata of Rainau-Buch, well 9, dating: deposited 254 before destroyment of the vicus (the well was constructed in 229).
The lorica hamata has 5.7 kg. Museum Aalen, Inv-Nr. R80-471.
The lorica hamata belongs to a complete equipment of an roman soldier, who deposited his weapons and "clothing" in the wells during running away:
reflex-bow, shield, spear and spatha sheath in well 1,
and
helmet (type Niederbieber) and lorica hamata (rolled up) in well 9
------
to "Gaius Julius Caesar/Byron Angel"

"I was wondering about the ring sizes when I saw it, plus the fact it appears(to me) they are not of a riveted/solid ring construction.
I would be interested to know too!"

I did an detailed study on the rings of the lorica hamata, as there are two sort of rings:
Type 1 is made from wire and fitted together, they have circular cross-section, diameter is 10mm.
Type 2 is machined from a rod on a lathe, they have rectangular cross-section with work traces from the lathe, diameter is 7.5 mm.
The hamata is build by taking 4 rings of type 2 thread on a Type 1, then fitting the Type 1-ring.
The four Type 2 rings then are used to connect the next rings of Type 1 in the row in line above and down under.
I hope this description (by a German) is comprehensible.

This study with many pictures and drawings is published in:
Bernhard A. Greiner, Zur Herstellungsweise römischer Kettenhemden. In: Gabriele Seitz (Hrsg.), Im Dienste Roms. Festschrift für Hans Ulrich Nuber (2006) p.199-204.
ISBN 978-3-386705-049-3
[url:38ol6ujm]http://www.bag-verlag.de/Nuber[/url]

The lorica hamata of Rainau-Buch is described within my book: Rainau-Buch II (ISBN 978-3-8062-2244-9):
[url:38ol6ujm]http://www.bag-verlag.de/Rainau-Buch-II/en[/url]

Best wishes
Bernhard A. Greiner

[gneuspartak]

and "clothing

I’m interested, how this clothing looks today?
In what condition it is?