Kalkriese mask- ballista mark??

[Caballo]

Looking again at the Kalkriese mask, there appears to be a square mark , parallel with the nostril that looks indicative of a strike with a square pointed weapon such as a ballista bolt.
Thoughts? Or is it a trick of the light?

[Statius]

Can see what you mean but not dissimilar to the damage a Pilum would leave, would have thought a Ballista bolt woud cause more damage. In the realms of conjecture but a germanic re-using a pilum- on indeed had one from his time serving in Roman pay.

Good spot though.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Correct me if I am wrong, but was the mask not found with the mule under the collapsed palisade and berm?
I had thought that from the reading I have done.
If this mask was being carted around as baggage, perhaps it had already had the silver stripped?
As much as I hate to back track Caballo, the last image is clearer and does look like a hole,
as opposed to discolouration... :?
Which makes me wonder who looted the silver in the first place, not for the first time.

[PhilusEstilius]

Byron

I think if I'm not mistaken it was the Kalkriese sword that was found under the mule, and as far as that mark it is only the trick of light or damage caused by whoever looted the silver sheet, there are many scatches on the mask of course.
The more interesting aspect of the mask is why does it have around 15 holes in it, and this is what prompted me to write my paper on it, to begin with look at the five showing on the forehead not counting the other four along the sides then also the others that held the edging and silver sheet.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

I doubt it a Ballista bolt could go through 3 people before stopping.

[Steve Kaye]

Might the square feature be the result of a repair? Possibly a manufacturing error patched with a small sheet?

It would be interesting to see the interior of the mask at that point. A bit of x-raying would be useful too, for example, a mark due to an impactor should show micro-fractures.

[caiusbeerquitius]

My bet is on corrosion. Happens quite often on flat steel surfaces after conservation. Upper layer flakes off, as can be seen on the plowshare below.

[attachment=3540]IMG_0365.JPG[/attachment]

[PhilusEstilius]

I think as Christian has pointed out it could be a surface problem for if we look at the close up shot at the top right corner of that mark, there is a line going vertical and one going to the right that may well be a couple of cracks in the surface.

If it had been a bolt the mask would have one heck of a big hole as well as the guys head, and also a pilum hitting it would have given it a huge dent that is not there.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Well I initialy thought it might be discolouration too, but haveing heard ofthe techniques used in creating them, and thetests done on econstructions using this method, I am doubting my initial thoughts. it could well be damage caused by a spent balista bolt shot.
It would be nice to see it close up and personal though.

Thanks for the reminder on the sword, Brian.

[caiusbeerquitius]

Damage might be more recent. Here some better pics from other angles.
Older pic first, younger pic second.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Well, lookingat the older pic, it would appear the square mark is not actualy a depression, so it must be discolouration.
Sorry Caballo old chum, I'm flip flopping like a beached flounder here! :roll:
On the basis of that photo, I revert to my original opinion!

[Crispvs]

Brian,

You mentioned a sword. Perhaps my memory is playing up but I was under the impression that the remains of a scabbard had been found but not the sword that it originally contained. Do you have any more information on the sword you mentioned?


On the matter of the mask, if it really is a depression caused during the battle, I agree that it would not be either an artillery bolt or a pilum which caused the damage. Both would be likely to cause far more damage than what we are seeing. I think that a spear, being used with a jabbing, rather than a thrusting motion might do similar damage, as might a glancing hit from a light javelin or even a sharp stone shot from a sling.


Crispvs

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Crispus, look at the photo Christian posted, it's definately not a depression. :-)

[Caballo]

I think Christian may have hit the nail on the head. "Damage might be more recent. Here some better pics from other angles."

Enlarging his first picture, the square area can be seen, but only as the outline of a crack. The metal is still in place. In the second, there seems to have been some "restoration" and the metal seems to have been lost. That reassures me slightly, as I have looked a lot at this mask, and never spotted the square hole before. And please can the restorer here be kept away from delicate pieces?

[Steve Kaye]

I suspect we are all being fooled by the different lighting conditions and the angle of display, i.e the helmet has not been previously repaired or restored inapppropriately (this seems most unlikely!).

What we are probably seeing are the same cracks, scratches and patches viewed from different angles and lighting.