There's been a bit ot traffic on both the ROMANISROMANORVM and Legio VI lists about what kind of paint the romans actually used to paint a scutum. Some say casein (Holger Ratsdorf), while other say encaustic (Minervalis Pictor). I looked through my references, and the only mention of painting that I could find was the description of the use of gesso to prepare shield boards (Simon James). Does anyone know for sure what the Dura Europos scutum was painted with? <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=neuralmancer>Neuralmancer</A> at: 3/23/05 3:06 am<br></i>
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My personal speculation (and it is only that) is that the Romans used casein paints and then a thin clear encaustic (bees wax) coating over the top to protect the cassein paint and the shield from water damage. This would explain why on initial observation the excavation report apparently identified it as encaustic, but later experts (Ratsdorf) say casein.<br>
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One interesting note, Pliny the Elder, in The Natural History, Book XXXV Chapter 41 says:<br>
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When, however, this art (encaustic painting) came to be applied to the painting of ships of war, a third method was adopted, that of melting the wax colours and laying them on with a brush, while hot. Painting of this nature, applied to vessels, will never spoil from the action of the sun, winds, or salt water.<br>
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www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi...&loc=35.41<br>
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In my mind this establishes use by the military, and that it was accepted as durable. <p></p><i></i>
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Tony Dah m
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The Dura shields seem to be painted with encaustic colors. I have no Idea what color was used on the Trier shields. I assume that there were regional differences as well, it is more probable that in the northern provinces casein paints were used, which were fixed with lineseed oil or similar products, as is the case for the medieval shields. <p></p><i></i>
Christian K.
No reconstruendum => No reconstruction.
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Why would the northern provinces probably use cassein?<br>
How do you mean fixed with linseed oil?<br>
Mixed with the paint, or applied as top coat?<br>
If mixed would you know the ratio and/or have a source for documentation?<br>
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I tried tung oil as a top coat, which only served to discolor the cassein paint it was supposed to protect.<br>
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I have tried mixing tung oil into cassein paint. So far I have found no discernible difference between the oil mixed and straight cassein in terms of resistance to water damage. I am still playing with the ratios however.<br>
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I will next be trying an encaustic top coat.<br>
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<p></p><i></i>
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Tony Dah m
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I refer to the Illerup excavation reports as well as Jan Kohlmorgen's book "Der Mittelalterliche Reiterschild". Both state this method for Germany, The Alps and Northern Europe. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=caiustarquitius>caiustarquitius</A> at: 4/5/05 3:30 pm<br></i>
Christian K.
No reconstruendum => No reconstruction.
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas.
