Aspis Construction Method

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Indeed there is plenty of evidence of lathe used on shield fragments and also of steam bending, as Paul said.
There is also evidence that at least three different methods were used for core construction, and this is concrete evidence of shield remains, not counting the Chigi vase and other similar depictions, which In fact suggest yet another method.

There is proof of laminated construction like scuta but it is peculiarly now lost. It was a shield from Olynthus which was burnt and the excavator reported that the core was layers of wooden strips. Somehow only the metal parts of that shield now remain in the museum of Thessaloniki, but the wooden parts were not found by Stamatopoulou to be examined.

However the most common construction method was large strips of solid wood glued and some times linked together with metal links and wooden pegs that at some stage they were turned on a lathe.

The strips of wood were not always as long as the diameter of the shield and in that case two or more pieces were linked with tiny wooden pegs.
Some times the boards were linked sideways with double axe shaped links.
Both these wooden links were tiny, few millimeters long, and in some shields they are seemingly lacking completely.

The thickness of all the existing shield fragments seem to confirm a uniform variation of thickness, so the Vatican shield which is the most complete can be used as an example with relative certainty that it is representative.
The Vatican shield is poplar but most examples in Greece are willlow. The shield itself and some times its rim are referred to ancient sources as willow.
The European poplar is also not to be confused with the American poplar, which has completely different properties.

Craig Sitch has created many shields turned from a block of poplar planks and would know a few things about the ancient method of construction. He has also achieved historical thicknesses and weights of around 3 kg for the core.

Mikko Sinkonnen from Finnland has created many laminated shields also with the correct weight and good durability. They also took part in Paul's experiment at Marathon.

One of the many secrets of the shield was its composite construction, which involved layers of pitch, different fabrics, leather, stucco and bronze. The wooden core is only a base for all these materials contributing of course much to its penetration resistance.

Khaire
Giannis