Hoplites of the Archaic Age

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

The Dypilon is probably the most frequent shield in the 8th century,shown on ships,funerals,on soldiers' back and in fights. However this art is too stylized to be sure how it was held or its exact form. The terracota Duncan mentioned is from the same time and as Connolly states,it indicates that the artist knew its constuction: made of woven stipes of wood,with two crossed bars in the inside to make it rigid and a central grip since there are no signs of any other grip or porpax. In later art the Dypilon shield is depicted with a porpax and alwais the arm parallel to the bigger dimeter of the shield. Paul B, I don't know where have you seen otherwise,perhaps you could post an example?
The fact that it may was considered the older shield and this is why it is shown on heroic scenes does not mean it was not used at that time. After all,in the heroic scenes most of the heroes have argolic shields and only some have dypilon.
I think it may was used even in the early 7th century and no one can exclude the possiblity that some traditional shield makers were still making them,especially in areas that the hoplite battle was not popular.After all,we don't see it in heroic scenes in the art of the late 5th or 4th century. If it was artistic lisense and only this would pass in times as a symbol of heroes.But the Bypilon is never shown after the late archaic age.
By the way,in the Siphnian treasure a hoplite has a dypilon but is very damaged and it's difficult to make out its original form.
Khairete
Giannis