09-27-2022, 02:35 PM
It's great to see a lengthy discussion here on a Greek subject! Let me throw my two cents in. Many of us assume when we see what was dug up that if it looks like a weapon or a piece of military kit...that's what it is and we work hard to understand its function. The so-called "coupling sleeve" is a good example of this. We also need to consider the context of the find and strive to understand how the Greeks and Macedonians buried their dead at the time these objects were included with the body, especially their elites. Are these simply prestigious "grave goods?" Grave goods are often either semi or fully functional or obviously not functional, but a votive of a real thing. Many are small, like those tiny Corinthian helmets, while others are full sized or even over sized. These objects are often not ceremonial, rather they were designed and produced only to be buried with the deceased and held no known purpose in any other ceremony. This does not mean a metal tube was used or not used as a means to connect two shafts of wood, only that this example should be considered in the context of the find. If the other objects found with it are in pristine condition we should wonder why. We should not draw too many conclusions from a single find with little or no corroboration in either text or artistic depictions from the era. We should also ask if the object actually makes any practical sense to accomplish that task we assign to it.
Joe Balmos
