Hunting display

[jvrjenivs]

For a project I'm involved with I'm currently working on a couple of displays that might be interesting. One theme that was suggested is to do something with hunting (for food supplies).

So, if you're any suggestions on how to to something with 'hunting' within a Roman re-enactment display, I would be interested to hear them. Many thanks in advance.

[Caballo]

Amy (Ammianus) does a great hunting display- being improved this season with a real hawk.....

[jvrjenivs]

Thanks Paul. Yes, I saw Amy's display some years ago and I liked it.
Yes, I already thought about adding birds or hunting dogs to it.

[Robert]

I believe Fishing could/should be included in a hunting display, as it shows two different aspects of gathering food from nature. You could show both hooks and traps. Johan makes Roman fishtraps. Netting would be another option, so floats and netting needles would be required.
[attachment=6582]Nettingneedles.jpg[/attachment]


I suppose you would want to include hunting arrows with wide broadheads (you could use the easy to make tradepoints, which are like a small open necked spearhead) and blunts for birds and small game. A heavy ash hunting bow would also be included. Lances are only used for hunting large game such as boar and stag.

Sounds like a nice display! Good luck!

[Quintius Clavus]

If you could find out whether the Romans or their subject peoples used different arrow points for hunting than for war, that might be something. Spears, of course, are a weapon that had both war and hunting use. I, unfortunately, don't know if the ancients had special boar spears for example. Nets could also be used for snaring smaller animals or birds.

[Vindex]

There are many beautiful mosaics showing the chase depicting hunters and prey. Perhaps they could provide the back ground to a static display with reconstructions of the equipment on show for people to look at/hold etc.

Long dogs and hawks are a good idea and readily available too; they adapt to any period piece ;-)

[jvrjenivs]

Thanks all. Ideas enough, and of course I was already looking at the Piazza Armerina mosaic. What would be best would be to add a 'spectacle' component to it, so not just a static display.

(there is no water on the site, so no fishing unfortunatelly)

[Caballo]

A coracle perhaps?

[Vindex]

The immediate problem with a display of hunting would be, one assumes, room. If you let a hawk or long dogs loose you have to have space to retrieve them...unless you have a "rabbit" on a string and pull it along to make them chase it (usually use an old bicycle mechanism or you can by proper dog traps). Doesn't necessarily make it very Roman, however; you see this sort of stuff at countryside shows in the UK all summer.

Then you have to be careful NOT to shoot anything... ;-)

[Musivarius]

As far a boar hunting spears go I would assume that they would have, as now, the cross bar below the head to stop the boar pushing up the lance after being speared.

The problem with a live display for something like this is how quickly spectacle can become farcical. The rabbit being pulled on a string, ok, as Moi said it's used in country shows. It's when you get someone dressed in a bear suit that it gets a little bit more contentious.

[John Conyard]

As ever a static display of anything, be it furs or helmets and armour has its limitations. Showing how things worked and the skills involved is a step above.

We have been doing hunting displays for years and I would suggest:

• Different types of bows and cross bows can be demonstrated.
  
• The use of dogs is great. Targets can be towed behind horses.
  
• Horsman can hunt sacks towed behind runners, who try and dodge the javelins.
  
• My coracle is fun but you need the right public viewing area. Please make it a cow skin version, not calico
  
• For birds you need a proffessional falconer. And good research for the Roman period.
  

[John Conyard]

Paul, is that your coracle? Were you on a course? My memory is going.

[Caballo]

Not yet- but I plan to be. As you can see from the "Giant Indian coracle" thread in off topic , I'm getting intersted. And wondering whether they would let me build an XXL size coracle to match my frame!

[P. Clodius Secundus]

My friend AuxArcher (Dane) has plans to build a hunting crossbow. I know he's still finishing up a Spanish conquistador model and working on a massive 850lb medieval one too, but I think he's well into the design and planning of the Roman civillian one. It is based on a couple of reliefs which give a good indication of the design. I don't know of any in a military context. He hasn't been on here in quite a while, but when I see him this weekend I'll ask him to share his info and insights on the subject if you're interrested in building one.