Scutum Covers

[marsvigilia]

I have found the following reports on shield covers:

"A Rectangular Shield Cover of the Coh XV Voluntariorum" by Carol van Driel-Murray in JRMES #10, 1999

"A fragmentary shield cover from Caerleon" by Carol van Driel-Murray in Military Equipment and the Identity of Roman Soldiers, BAR 394, 1988


Does any one know any other reports on scutum covers beyond these?


Thanks.

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

Hello,

I don’t have any other sources but, I do have a question…. When you refer to covers, are you quoting covers as in protective covers that literally cover the entire shield (such as for long term storage) or are you speaking of linen, leather, or other fabric covers permanently bonded to the wooden shield that were used in battle?

Do the articles mention what fabric was used?

Do the articles mention what period the shields were from; i.e. early BC, fist or second century AD, etc?

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

I believe he means the tegimen/ marching cover.

[Neuraleanus]

[url:ksztb5y1]http://www.geocities.com/legio_tricesima_cohors_tres/campusMartis/Sarcina/scutum_cover.jpg[/url]

Vegetable tanned goatskin (item #070) may be obtained from Le Prevo:

[url:ksztb5y1]http://www.leprevo.co.uk/hides.html[/url]

I went over mine with Neatsfoot oil.

[marsvigilia]

Hello,

I don’t have any other sources but, I do have a question…. When you refer to covers, are you quoting covers as in protective covers that literally cover the entire shield (such as for long term storage) or are you speaking of linen, leather, or other fabric covers permanently bonded to the wooden shield that were used in battle?

Do the articles mention what fabric was used?

Do the articles mention what period the shields were from; i.e. early BC, fist or second century AD, etc?

I am looking for information on leather marching covers. The articles I referenced are about archaeological leather finds that are believed to be marching covers. The ones discussed are very fragmentary, and so I was wondering if there were any more recent finds or other articles that might be helpful.

Thank you.

[Gaius_Calvus]

For great information on these, as well as construction, go to this link:

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/scucvr.html

Regards,

Edge

[Matthew Amt]

Thanks, Edge, but he's one of mine so I'm assuming he's already seen that page! I think he's looking for more raw data.

Tony, I've probably got the articles you mention, but I don't know if I have any more. Drop me a reminder before the next fabrica (if you can come) and I'll bring along more books and such to check.

One interesting point about the Caerleon cover. Van Driel-Murray follows her usual pattern of claiming that since SHE found an oval cover, all those silly rectangular shields must have been just for special occasions and very rare. (Not to be knocking her too badly, she DOES know her leather!) But looking at the reinforcing strips (or the stitch lines that held them in place, more precisely), it really looks to me like that shield cover HAD been rectangular originally but had been cut down to an oval shape at some point! So this may be just a sign of shield shapes evolving from the rectangle to the later ovals, or maybe it was just re-used for a cavalry or auxiliary shield.

Valete,

Matthew

[marsvigilia]

Thanks Edge,

I have studied the Legion 20 site a lot. I'm just looking around before I commit to this project. Goat skin can be difficult to find and isn't cheap. I always hate it when I learn something that I wish I had known before I started a project. Look before you leap.


Thanks Matt,

I have copies of the two articles I mentioned, but if you have any others that would be great. Even if you don't have a copy of something, I would be grateful for a reference that I can use to try and get the article from inter-library loan.

[Gaius_Calvus]

No problem, Tony! I'm sorry I did not connect your location with Legio XX :oops: .

As to goatskin, I get mine here:
http://www.siegelofca.com/view_cat_product.asp?id=70

Tannage: Vegetable-tanned
Uses: Small leather goods, Bookbinding
Weight: 2-oz
Average size: 8 sq ft

The price is not bad -- $3.25 a square foot. I order them three at a time.

The website states to order in 10 square foot lots as they are whole skins, but they are normally 8-9 square feet, so the total cost works out to about $80 for a complete tegimen.

My friend Alex was able to make one out of two skins and I am using two of them for a tegimen for a clipeus I just finished, which cost about $50 total. It all depends on the width of the skins at their narrowest point.

Regards,

Edge

[marsvigilia]

Thanks for the advise on supplier of goats skins. I've orderred a few for this and a couple other projects.

[Hibernicus]

Our goatskins are not so pretty //www.siegelofca.com">www.siegelofca.com

Legio IX members pay $1.25 - $1.50 per square foot, but whole skins often have shoulder wrinkles.. gives 'em character I say! We get our skins out of North Africa and buy every one we can get our hands on.

Some pics of mine, recently oiled.. 3 pints! Yikes!

top left: I have my ties on the sides. Braided hemp cordage. They secure to bronze rings that also serve to hold the marching/carry straps.
top right: umbo cover, split into 4 sections
bottom left: the ansata. dyed thread in blue, backing in red, natural pigments.. kinda hard to see...
bottom right: the tegimen in mottled sunlight simply draped onto a scutum. Used 4 hides. Didn't have three large enough.

[marsvigilia]

Sean,

I may not agree with all your positions, but those are great looking shield covers. And great goat skins.

Congratulations.

And thanks for the response.

[Gaius_Calvus]

I buy them where I can find them, Sean -- and figure that character comes with use.

Since I have not been able to get them anywhere else (although I have tried several times) I will continue to get them where I can.

Regards

[Hibernicus]

I buy them where I can find them, Sean -- and figure that character comes with use.

Since I have not been able to get them anywhere else (although I have tried several times) I will continue to get them where I can

.

Character from use! You know how much I like that! Too much perty stuff about!

Goatskins are tough to find, especially the quality of the hides from that one company you found. I have to go through a bundle of 20 to find 5, and on a good day, 10 that are acceptable. Our supply is not consistent. It took a while but we have nearly enough for the 2nd goatskin papilio.