Caligae sources

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

No kidding! :lol: :lol: :lol:

So where do all these designs come from?
I can't afford new caligae so soon! I only got the ones I use last year, and have only managed to attend one event, due to work schedules! The one's used by the other members of my group seemed to have even thicker leather than mine, although perhaps more open toed!

I saw the ones at vindolanda when Brian Stobbs took me around there! Also the cingulum straps with brass buttons, which was REALLY small and thin, as with the heather.organic centurion crest! In fact there are several organic remains at vindolanda!! A very interesting place!! Hope to return there again!

Yours look like some you see portrayed on sculptures Martin, but then there are others that seem to be of thicker, heavier construction? I know there is always the arguement that "you can't go by sculpture" for actual artifacts, but it seems if they were there, perhaps they were showing what they saw! There are many ways to skin a cat, after all!! (not speaking from literal experience there)

But then again, I like the open toed look yours portray, so maybe one day........... :roll:

[Martin Wallgren]

This is very similar to the Mainz caligae:
Valkenburg caligae cutting pattern

This link don´t work for me! Is their any other link to the Valkenburg caligae?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

So far, none of the links in this post have worked for me, hence my maybe obvious/stupid question

"So where do all these designs come from? "

[Magnus]

The Valkenburg one didn't work for me either, i get a blank new window that opens up and then nothing

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic. ... sc&start=0

here are a lot of photos..........

or just google valkenburg caligae in the imagebase.

M.VIB.M.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Thanks for the link Mr Vrielink.....

looks like Martin really makes a good job on the back seam, the one on mine is only stiched on the outside! That is why I wish mine were like the ones in her photo!

[Magnus]

Thanks Henk!

[Martin Moser]

So where do all these designs come from?

Hi Gaius, sorry I didn't answer any earlier. The designs I have used for caligae so far and can vouch for in terms of actual finds behind them are from Castleford and Mainz. The Castleford pattern is this:



The Castleford design closely resembles the Valkenburg/Velsen finds I know of. It seems however, that not all of those have been published, so I cannot speak for those.

Here is the drawing of the (original) Mainz caliga that I tried a reconstruction of this summer:



You can also see it here

And here is a drawing from another Mainz find, which has a very narrow back seam area (I didn't yet dare make one that narrow :-P

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e268/ ... inz_13.jpg

All those fall into the 1st century AD, however the Valkenburg and Velsen finds are dated to the late first/early second century, i.e. when caligae start to disappear. The Mainz finds are dated to the 1st century generally, but I suspect them to belong to the early 1st century: first towards the end of the 1st cent. AD shoes (caligae and closed shoes as well) from the Netherlands and England at least have the line where the tie laces run upwards starting over the big toe and running up in a straight line from there, i.e. not in the middle of the foot, but shifted inwards. Also the tabs of the caligae run upwards more or less parallel, ending in a broader rectangle like tab. The Mainz ones OTOH have the tabs narrowing into almost a point and the lacing line runs up in the center of the foot. Overall appearance of those two types is quite different. More important though I think is that the Mainz finds are looking very much like the remains of two caligae found aboard the Comacchio ship wreck and this is dated as Augustean, probably early 1st cent. AD

For more on the Comacchio ship wreck please look here:
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=11696 and here:
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=11635

For the Valkenburg caligae I did, look here (pointed out by Marcus above (thanks for that, Marcus!)) - you will find relevant bibliographical data as well as data on leather thickness, seams, material, tanning:
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic. ... sc&start=0

More on shoes you will find here:
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=5837
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=12366
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=7190
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=11065
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=9142
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=2962

I saw the ones at vindolanda when Brian Stobbs took me around there!

Do you mean to say that you saw *caligae* there or that you saw all kinds of shoes there? From what I know (Vindolanda reports new series, Vindolanda Excavations 2001/2002 CD, and various pics from the web) there were no caligae finds so far...
I envy you for the experience!

Yours look like some you see portrayed on sculptures Martin, but then there are others that seem to be of thicker, heavier construction?

I based material thickness etc. on the finds that I know of, going towards "avarage" in the variety shown. I looked at sculptural evidence, of course, but didn't base any of my attempts at reconstructions onit.

Thanks for reading if you came that far ;-) ) . If there's anything I left unanswered, please let me know!

[Caballo]

Martin,

You might find the pics I have just posted useful?
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic. ... c&start=20

Cheers

Caballo

[Martin Moser]

Martin,
You might find the pics I have just posted useful?

Looking at them (and giving you laudes for them) as we "speak"! :-) )

[Caballo]

Thanks- a pleasure to help!

[Neuraleanus]

This link don´t work for me! Is their any other link to the Valkenburg caligae?

Sorry, I moved. Try the following link:

[url:c2z5fcvf]http://www.geocities.com/legio_tricesima_cohors_tres/campusMartis/MakingCaligae/MakingAuthenticCaligae.html[/url]