[Regia-NA] Shields

[Green Shield]

Greetings all. I have been re-reading the e-mails regarding shield and have 
a question: Is there anyone out there making Norman shields of the kite 
variety and is anyone curving them?

I have been making curved kites for many years now and they come out looking 
good but I am not sure the process would be considered proper for the time. 
The choice of wood certainly isn't but then the selection isn't there 
either. Anyone out there making their own and have any suggestions??

Scott





>From: "Yolli" <yolli@lineone.net>
>Reply-To: list-regia-na@lig.net
>To: <list-regia-na@lig.net>
>Subject: Re: [Regia-NA] Shields
>Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2002 21:23:25 -0000
>
>Hi Doug,
>
>I have a Linden ( Lime wood ) shield that is 34" in diameter and about 10mm 
>thick or so at most. It does tail off a bit to the edges. It is edge glued 
>and made of three planks. It will have a baton down it's spine to add 
>rigidity just through the handle area and nowhere else.  As you can see all 
>that I got to was the board bit......
>
>I will probably paste leather on the face or cloth and possibly cloth to 
>the rear - as in the comment about skin on the face of the shields which I 
>can't recall whether it should be cow and not sheep - could be wrong there 
>( Steve E? ). Actually, as I write this, I recall that I have a steel grip 
>and bracer somewhere....
>
>The edge will be either like the Balnakiel shield that had a sewn edge of 
>leather to it, or possibly banded with iron/steel and riveted.
>
>The edge  to edge boards seem very happy, but what they may be like after 
>one or two blows with a sword 'gawd knows...'
>
>For the 'I was There' book on the Vikings, Rab had his dad make up a number 
>of Lime shields for the Holmgangr scene. He fought Mike Heywood and they 
>went at it for 'real'. The reason being that the cameras were supposed to 
>see bits flying off - which they did - but not as fast as you might expect, 
>even though they were matchwood at the end. And as they did in times past, 
>they then dug out two more and carried on.
>
>I do wonder whether the blunt swords cause more trauma to the timber than 
>sharp ones tend to do. The weight of the swords in this case were not too 
>far out as well, to ensure the acceleration was on par.
>
>I have to add also that the shields weren't backed or covered with anything 
>other than paint.
>
>
>Roll.
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Douglas Sunlin" <dsunlin@hotmail.com>
>To: <list-regia-na@lig.net>
>Sent: Friday, November 22, 2002 6:01 PM
>Subject: Re: [Regia-NA] Shields
>
>
> > ..
> > >I've seen the term 'experimental archaeology' used in several different
> > >contexts, what exactly do you mean?
> > >
> > >~Wil
> >
> > Experimental archaeology is the practice of testing theories derived 
>from
> > archaeological finds. Using the shields for example, the nature of the 
>finds
> > suggest that the "Viking" shield consisted of 1/4" planks. How the 
>planks
> > were joined is a matter of conjecture. Lamination doesn't seem to have 
>been
> > common, the cross-pieces appear to be insufficient to hold the thing
> > together, there's not always evidence of a backing material,  but 
>somehow
> > the planks were held together, and strongly enough to make the shield 
>worthy
> > under combat stress.
> >
> > Now, theoreticians can argue these points all they want, but until 
>somebody
> > builds a shield that mimics the originals as much as possible, then 
>tests
> > it, and later evaluates the theories in light of the new facts... well,
> > that's experimental archaeology. There's a good book on it called
> > Archaeology by Experiment.
> >
> > Osweald
>


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