01-15-2007, 08:53 PM
Sorry to have come to this so late, and thanks to Frater Peronis for alerting me to its presence.
I agree that an article is needed, another reason being that not everone can read German. I too, of course, own a copy of Obmann 2000 but the only page I can read with full understanding is the summary, which is in English. Otherwise I muddle through with my schoolboy German and a dictionary, meaning that I am still somewhat ignorant of the full reality of Obmann's system of classification.
In general, as will probably have been noticed by many already, I follow Scott's classifications, but I often feel that these need to be updated somewhat, in particular his typology of decoration, which is something of a work of art but divides decoration into rather too many catagories for my liking. I think that a good explanation of Obmann's classification system in English is essential, but I would also be inclined to include an article on Scott's system of classification to cover the bases so to speak.
Having written expositions of the two attempts to classify pugiones, the points of the chosen system for the database, as stated by Alexandr K, should then be stated in their own article, which can then refer to both other articles. Of course, if Obmann's system perfectly fits the bill that would be one less article to write.
If I was consulting a resourse on daggers, I would want to be able to check the following things: type of item (blade, sheath, handle or combination of two or more of these), classified type, shape, size, construction materials, methods of construction, findspot, current whereabouts, likely period of use, date of deposition, type of decoration, material used in decoration, possible reconstructions, photograhs, x-rays, good line drawings and information on other items found with it.
I would be inclined therefore, to try to include as many of these details as would be possible for each entry on a pugio, with the facility to add more detail as more became available.
As to publications, some of the museums I have written to recently have been rather unhelpful when it came to providing any information and simply referred me to already published material which in some cases fell far short of the level of information they could have provided. Certain museums were very helpful however, and it might be that somede might be persuaded to allow their x-rays and copyrited drawings to be featured.
Crispvs
I agree that an article is needed, another reason being that not everone can read German. I too, of course, own a copy of Obmann 2000 but the only page I can read with full understanding is the summary, which is in English. Otherwise I muddle through with my schoolboy German and a dictionary, meaning that I am still somewhat ignorant of the full reality of Obmann's system of classification.
In general, as will probably have been noticed by many already, I follow Scott's classifications, but I often feel that these need to be updated somewhat, in particular his typology of decoration, which is something of a work of art but divides decoration into rather too many catagories for my liking. I think that a good explanation of Obmann's classification system in English is essential, but I would also be inclined to include an article on Scott's system of classification to cover the bases so to speak.
Having written expositions of the two attempts to classify pugiones, the points of the chosen system for the database, as stated by Alexandr K, should then be stated in their own article, which can then refer to both other articles. Of course, if Obmann's system perfectly fits the bill that would be one less article to write.
If I was consulting a resourse on daggers, I would want to be able to check the following things: type of item (blade, sheath, handle or combination of two or more of these), classified type, shape, size, construction materials, methods of construction, findspot, current whereabouts, likely period of use, date of deposition, type of decoration, material used in decoration, possible reconstructions, photograhs, x-rays, good line drawings and information on other items found with it.
I would be inclined therefore, to try to include as many of these details as would be possible for each entry on a pugio, with the facility to add more detail as more became available.
As to publications, some of the museums I have written to recently have been rather unhelpful when it came to providing any information and simply referred me to already published material which in some cases fell far short of the level of information they could have provided. Certain museums were very helpful however, and it might be that somede might be persuaded to allow their x-rays and copyrited drawings to be featured.
Crispvs
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