09-30-2013, 01:12 AM
Firstly, my apologies if this has been covered elsewhere already.
Anyway, with only one day to go before it closed, I finally got myself down to London to see the Pompeii and Herculaneum exhibition. The two hours I had really were not enough time to take it all in in, but I did get to opportunity for a very good look at the Herculaneum soldier's equipment (and the other people present were very forbearing with me, luckily). I therefore present a few observations.
Firstly, the dagger. Unfortunately I could not see anything of the blade, so could not come any closer to resolving the issue of whether or not it is actually a cut down sword. However, the wooden sheath is quite well preserved and was clearly made to fit this weapon or one like it, as the profile view of the pointed end proved. The handle also turned out to be slightly smaller than I would have expected that of a Mainz type sword to be, although in form both pommel and guard did resemble Mainz type parts.
Next, the belt. Looking closely at the belt plates, it turned out that they were made up from several elements. I had thought this for a long time already on the basis of pictures but it was good to see it for myself. The plates were composed of an underlying plate, rolled at either end, to which a central disc and two ribbed pieces resembling those seen of Pompeii type sword scabbards were attached. Each rolled end was finished with a ball shaped finial at either end, which I assumed to be connected with a wire or rod passing through the rolled tube, as seen in numerous examples from elsewhere. I was not sure , looking at the plates whether the central discs were riveted on or attached with solder. I did notice a small 'pimple' at the centre of some discs but I could not tell whether these were rivets or not. Others probably know better than me. The ribbed pieces were attached above and below the disc on each plate and on one plate where a ribbed piece was missing I noticed a raised edge to the underlying plate, although from the angle I was looking from I could not tell whether this was thickened or embossed. Either way, it would have provided a locating point for the ribbed piece.
The frog plates were both attached to their discs by extensions made in one with the plates. The extensions were cylindrical and each was slightly wider at the end connecting with the disc, giving them the appearance of horns. The narrower ends connected quite abruptly with the flat square section of each frog plate, with no appreciable narrowing towards it. If it had not been obvious that plate and extension were made in one it would have been easy to believe that each extension was soldered onto the straight edge of its plate. The discs were rivetted on but the rivet heads were very small and I could not tell whether the rivets were formed from anthers on the ends of the extensions or whether separate rivets had been used.
Next, the sword. The locket plates appeared to be damaged and I could not make out anything of the original decoration. I did observe that the top of the locket plate stepped outwards, as on other examples. It looked to me as though some sort of filler had filled the space behind this outwards extension but it is equally (if not more) possible that what I was seeing was volcanic dust or some other material laid down by the pyroclastic flow and subsequent covering with volcanic material.
Most of this is probably known to other members but I though I would put it up for anyone who either had not been able to get to the exhibition or who did not have the opportunity to get a close look. Sorry to those interested in the soldier's tools. I am afraid they did not catch my attention in the same way.
So - did anyone else spot anything worth noting about the equipment?
Crispvs
Anyway, with only one day to go before it closed, I finally got myself down to London to see the Pompeii and Herculaneum exhibition. The two hours I had really were not enough time to take it all in in, but I did get to opportunity for a very good look at the Herculaneum soldier's equipment (and the other people present were very forbearing with me, luckily). I therefore present a few observations.
Firstly, the dagger. Unfortunately I could not see anything of the blade, so could not come any closer to resolving the issue of whether or not it is actually a cut down sword. However, the wooden sheath is quite well preserved and was clearly made to fit this weapon or one like it, as the profile view of the pointed end proved. The handle also turned out to be slightly smaller than I would have expected that of a Mainz type sword to be, although in form both pommel and guard did resemble Mainz type parts.
Next, the belt. Looking closely at the belt plates, it turned out that they were made up from several elements. I had thought this for a long time already on the basis of pictures but it was good to see it for myself. The plates were composed of an underlying plate, rolled at either end, to which a central disc and two ribbed pieces resembling those seen of Pompeii type sword scabbards were attached. Each rolled end was finished with a ball shaped finial at either end, which I assumed to be connected with a wire or rod passing through the rolled tube, as seen in numerous examples from elsewhere. I was not sure , looking at the plates whether the central discs were riveted on or attached with solder. I did notice a small 'pimple' at the centre of some discs but I could not tell whether these were rivets or not. Others probably know better than me. The ribbed pieces were attached above and below the disc on each plate and on one plate where a ribbed piece was missing I noticed a raised edge to the underlying plate, although from the angle I was looking from I could not tell whether this was thickened or embossed. Either way, it would have provided a locating point for the ribbed piece.
The frog plates were both attached to their discs by extensions made in one with the plates. The extensions were cylindrical and each was slightly wider at the end connecting with the disc, giving them the appearance of horns. The narrower ends connected quite abruptly with the flat square section of each frog plate, with no appreciable narrowing towards it. If it had not been obvious that plate and extension were made in one it would have been easy to believe that each extension was soldered onto the straight edge of its plate. The discs were rivetted on but the rivet heads were very small and I could not tell whether the rivets were formed from anthers on the ends of the extensions or whether separate rivets had been used.
Next, the sword. The locket plates appeared to be damaged and I could not make out anything of the original decoration. I did observe that the top of the locket plate stepped outwards, as on other examples. It looked to me as though some sort of filler had filled the space behind this outwards extension but it is equally (if not more) possible that what I was seeing was volcanic dust or some other material laid down by the pyroclastic flow and subsequent covering with volcanic material.
Most of this is probably known to other members but I though I would put it up for anyone who either had not been able to get to the exhibition or who did not have the opportunity to get a close look. Sorry to those interested in the soldier's tools. I am afraid they did not catch my attention in the same way.
So - did anyone else spot anything worth noting about the equipment?
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
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<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
