01-12-2012, 11:46 PM
I think what the gist of this is:
No literary reference makes it clear or reasonable to assume the commonly depicted Spolas was ever built of linen. The Homeric reference predates anything remotely akin the Hoplite warfare and the Spolas is a strict development related to this battle tactic. Armor always follows the needs of combat not the other way around. The later references at time refer to both as different things so if that is the case.....what is the Spolas made of? Xenophon mentions it directly as leather.
The Vergina/Pella site refers to the Prince's tomb which did state at the time of excavation that an organic mass, like dried liquid was found on the floor with several gold armor plates stuck within the mass. The team presumed it could only leather as it was neither cloth nor corroded metal. Only ancient corpses had a similar composition. That report came from a book detailing the material and workmanship of the items alone from Phillip's and the Prince's tombs. The prince seems to post date Phillip. Similar study of Scythian and Thracian tombs report the same 'goo' and regard it as dried leather or adipose tissue residue.
The other dig of 500+ tombs is not Pella or Vergina. It is a seperate dig which no one even the American Archeological instate in Athens will discuss. I doubt anyone will get an honest answer simply by talking to someone at a museum. I remember the original press release though and it did really say the graves were untouched and so well preserved being on the slope of a hill that.....everything remained. It specifically stated that the warrior leather armors were adorned with gold plaques and had golden masks. Even their leather sandals were adorned with gold.
My thought is this....WOW. Leather sandals, leather armor, their spear shafts and the wooden shields are all mentioned as intact to a degree that they can be unearthed more or less intact. I'm sure this will take many years to catalogue and study before anything is released. The nature and magnitude of so rich a find has unfortunately slammed the door shut in our face for awhile. But 500 plus graves dating from archaic to Hellenistic will blow the roof of this forum.
Some of us may indeed be wrong, some of us may indeed be right! But I think it will come down on us in equal measure but at last we will know as much as the Roman do of their armor and equipment. Finally!
So at first, authoritative blush from the Archeologists themselves....classical armor appears to have been leather. That is if you can trust a 2,000 year old corpse wearing a leather Spolas that is. Personally, I wouldn't turn my back on that dead guy. Literature is great, pottery is great but Habeus Corpus!
I feel myself feel that linen, quilted, was at one time used. Perhaps Homer saw this or he included it as a reference to time older than himself. But as weapons and tactics evolved the armor would have had to evolve. Padded cloth would be no match for the much sharper steely iron points. Leather seems to be a natural armor progression in many other cultures so the Greeks would have been equally savvy.
No literary reference makes it clear or reasonable to assume the commonly depicted Spolas was ever built of linen. The Homeric reference predates anything remotely akin the Hoplite warfare and the Spolas is a strict development related to this battle tactic. Armor always follows the needs of combat not the other way around. The later references at time refer to both as different things so if that is the case.....what is the Spolas made of? Xenophon mentions it directly as leather.
The Vergina/Pella site refers to the Prince's tomb which did state at the time of excavation that an organic mass, like dried liquid was found on the floor with several gold armor plates stuck within the mass. The team presumed it could only leather as it was neither cloth nor corroded metal. Only ancient corpses had a similar composition. That report came from a book detailing the material and workmanship of the items alone from Phillip's and the Prince's tombs. The prince seems to post date Phillip. Similar study of Scythian and Thracian tombs report the same 'goo' and regard it as dried leather or adipose tissue residue.
The other dig of 500+ tombs is not Pella or Vergina. It is a seperate dig which no one even the American Archeological instate in Athens will discuss. I doubt anyone will get an honest answer simply by talking to someone at a museum. I remember the original press release though and it did really say the graves were untouched and so well preserved being on the slope of a hill that.....everything remained. It specifically stated that the warrior leather armors were adorned with gold plaques and had golden masks. Even their leather sandals were adorned with gold.
My thought is this....WOW. Leather sandals, leather armor, their spear shafts and the wooden shields are all mentioned as intact to a degree that they can be unearthed more or less intact. I'm sure this will take many years to catalogue and study before anything is released. The nature and magnitude of so rich a find has unfortunately slammed the door shut in our face for awhile. But 500 plus graves dating from archaic to Hellenistic will blow the roof of this forum.
Some of us may indeed be wrong, some of us may indeed be right! But I think it will come down on us in equal measure but at last we will know as much as the Roman do of their armor and equipment. Finally!
So at first, authoritative blush from the Archeologists themselves....classical armor appears to have been leather. That is if you can trust a 2,000 year old corpse wearing a leather Spolas that is. Personally, I wouldn't turn my back on that dead guy. Literature is great, pottery is great but Habeus Corpus!
I feel myself feel that linen, quilted, was at one time used. Perhaps Homer saw this or he included it as a reference to time older than himself. But as weapons and tactics evolved the armor would have had to evolve. Padded cloth would be no match for the much sharper steely iron points. Leather seems to be a natural armor progression in many other cultures so the Greeks would have been equally savvy.
