03-14-2009, 03:56 PM
Quote: Hopefully you've got my photos by now, and can view these darts in detail.Yes I did, thanks again for sharing!
Quote:As I'm sure you appreciate just where the lead weight was placed on the shaft of socketed plumbata can be very hard to determine. In many cases only the shaft is found, or just the lead weight. I suspect there were in fact more than the two you mention, as well as this example.Well, I can only say that I have seen pictures of dozens of plumbatae, and that of these only four (if I include Wroxeter I, even though it differs greatly from the other three) show a weight that does not sit on the joint of wood and metal.
Of course we can hypothesise that part of the shaft below the weight rusted/broke off, but only x-raying every weight would really show where the joint between wood and metal really was. Barring such research I can only go with conclusions made by those who excavated the plumbata. Especially for the shanked ones the weight must have strengthened the joint between wood and metal. Just my thougts, of course.
Quote:I'm sure they were in the minority, but they suit our modern needs very well.I'm sure they do. And even IF we would doubt that Wroxeter I was such a special form, the Comitatus plumbatae still resemble a 'real' original, namely Sisak VI. They look fine by me.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)