Significance of the "gamma" motif

[Andrew Brozyna]

Salve,

I'm interested in the significance of the "gamma" motif seen on military equipment and clothing. I know the device probably served a practical function as washers at the corners of a rectangular scutum. However, I don't understand why the symbol was sewn on tunics, vexilla, mounted to the neck guard of the Niedermörnter helmet, etc. Any insight on this? Does the greeek letter, gamma, have a particular symbolism attached to it?

I've learned that the following monograph has an article discussing this symbolism: Archéologie des textiles des origines au Ve siècle, Actes du colloque de Lattes. Does anyone happen to have a copy of this book? It's available on Oxbow / David Brown, but is rather expensive - especially if one is only interested in one article.

[Tarbicus]

However, I don't understand why the symbol was sewn on tunics, vexilla, mounted to the neck guard of the Niedermörnter helmet, etc.

They seem to have come after the use as a reinforcement on a shield, so maybe could have been an accepted motif in the first place by the time of the usages you describe? It was potentially a few hundred years of use by then, at least.

[Andrew Brozyna]

Here's a follow up question 2.5 years later...

Does anyone know of archaeological examples of these "L" brackets in the context of a shield? I am aware of some "L" shaped pieces of metal (along with crescent moon shapes) found in Germany, but they were collected in a large group in a box—not with the remains of a shield. Are we assuming scuta were made with functional "L" brackets merely because they appear in sculpture? Is there a relief that depicts these gamma shapes with nail holes (implying an actual metal bracket, rather than simply paint)?

After some digging around it seems that the earliest example of the gamma motif used in a Roman military context was from 23BC. This was from a piece of cloth found at an army dump in Egypt.

[Crispvs]

To add to your list of examples, they are also found on some first century AD scabbard lockets.

Here, by the way, is a picture a friend of mine sent me of some likely candidates for shield Gammas which I understand to have been found in York. I have had gammas based on these added to my own shield.



Crispvs

[Matt Lukes]

I even have a balteus plate that has them formed by dot punchwork in the corners- it was a very common set of symbols certainly suggesting it had some specific/significant meaning...

[Andrew Brozyna]

Thanks! It seems that idea that these "L" shapes were more than mere decoration is based only on the observation that their placement on shields in sculpture would conveniently position them in alignment with the back bracing, thus implying that they were metal pieces reenforcing the shield structure. *whew, that was a big sentence*
Do you know of a publication discussing those pieces found at York? What museum are they in? The gamma motif decorated so much different stuff -I'm eager to know if those particular pieces can be associated directly with shields.

[Crispvs]

Unfortunately the picture was sent to me with no more provenance that "Found at York". I will see what I can find out about them.

Crispvs

[Vlad the Impala]

IIRC these are rather thin and flat. So they seem to be decorative rather than functional.

I have some pics somewhere

[Tarbicus]

IIRC these are rather thin and flat. So they seem to be decorative rather than functional.

I have some pics somewhere

Check out the thickness of some seg plates, or even helmets.

Armour only needs to be as defensive as the enemy's weapons are effective.

[Vlad the Impala]

I assumed Andrew's comment on re-enforcing the shield structure was more inclined to fact that the L shape matched the wooden slats on the back, and therefore strengthened the join as might be found on frames today, rather than as additional 'armour'

as armour the positioning of the Ls looks even less useful. what function do they form as armour?

Andrew's comment I think has some validity and the Ls do do perform that function (whether these examples do or not is a moot point)