Posted on 11/03/2019 2:10:59 PM PST by SunkenCiv
The wooden shield has rotted and no image remains, but fragments of paint could be detected, says Christian-Heinrich Wunderlich, the head of the restoration workshop at the Landesmuseum in Halle. Under a microscope, the pigments were identified as "Egyptian blue", which was widely used in the Roman Empire, and vermilion, which was only available in a few Mediterranean locations at that time.
"These pigments were not cheap and must have been Roman imports," Wunderlich says. Examinations under the microscope revealed that the paints were applied in layers, and that the wood was prepared with a chalk and lime base to create a smooth surface for the paint to be applied, he says.
The original shield would have been about 1.30m in diameter and it was probably painted on both sides, Wunderlich says. The fragment was discovered in Gommern, near Magdeburg, in a tomb belonging to a prosperous chief who died aged about 30, although his identity is not known.
It is the most important tomb find of the late Roman era in central Germany. Alongside the shield, archaeologists discovered a gold neck ring and brooch, silver belts, spurs, a knife, coins and arrowheads, drinking glasses, a bronze vessel for mixing wine and a bronze stool. Many of these items are of Roman origin. Wunderlich says Germanic warriors acquired such objects either in payment for their services as mercenaries or in looting expeditions.
Other items such as a silver shield buckle share similarities to finds in Scandinavia and suggest that the deceased man was well-connected.
Wunderlich says the fragment of shield will be part of a new permanent exhibition addressing the Roman imperial period that opens this autumn at the Landesmuseum.
(Excerpt) Read more at theartnewspaper.com ...
Roman Germany keyword, chrono sort:
51 inches in diameter! Imagine wielding a 1/2 sheet of plywood to protect yourself.
Imagine *not* having such a shield. :^)
bttt
Lol...can’t argue against that.
Being round it would be a little less than a half sheet. I’m guessing about 25-30 lbs. The weight of such shields usually was borne not just by the hand but also the forearm. Of course the warriors trained a lot and would be used to it over time. On the other hand, literally, the Roman gladius only weighed a couple of pounds so maybe they looks like Popeye!
If I remember correctly, the German lands (Alemania) were the only European region unconquered by the Romans. The Germanic tribes defeated the Roman army at the battle of Teutonburg.
That's often said, even today, and it is not true -- I've provided the links to the topics in the "Roman Germany" keyword up there.
TXnMA
Nice to cya.Wish you were here.
Looks like the museum as a whole would be great to visit.
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