Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

Periods 5/6. A bone rectangular scabbard chape with peltashaped
cut-outs and a central rib. The upper edge has been
cut into a series of vaults alternating with crenellations. This
design is mirrored on the lower edge where chamfers occur
opposite the vaults of the upper edge. The chape is in two
pieces. The front plate curves round on both sides to grip a
tapering back plate which slides in from the bottom. Once
fitted both plates hold together well because of the slight
widening of the back plate towards the upper edge, which is
sufficient to give a tight grip. A small piece of the top of one
side of the curved-over front plate is broken off, damage
which was probably caused by the pressure exerted to
remove the back plate at some time. Length 58.5 mm,
maximum width 42.5 mm. Scabbard chapes of this type are
generally dated to the mid 3rd century.
4243 Fig 158 SF MID 578, C2110 L21. Site clearance, mainly
topsoil. Site C Phases 4 and 5. A distorted copper-alloy
scabbard mount used to attach the baldric to the scabbard.
The piece probably belongs to the 2nd or 3rd century, but
could be earlier (ibid, 106-7, Tafn 12 and 13 give close but
not exact parallels; see also Webster 1958, fig 3, 34). The
method of attaching the mount (or sword belt-holder) to the
scabbard and how the baldric was held is illustrated in
Oldenstein 1976, Abb 12. The mount had two (sometimes
three) projections on the reverse by which it was attached to
the sheath. These have been broken off on our example but
lay atthe points marked a on the section. Length 103.0mm.
Dagger? (Fig 159; 4244)
4244 Fig 159 SF BUC 1177, E365 L11. Destruction debris.
Probably first half of the 5th century. Copper-alloy hilt-guard
(ibid, Taf 9, 1, 2). Part of the top plate is missing. There are
some decorative cut-outs on one long side, presumably that
which faced forwards when the blade was sheathed. The
length of this piece (62.5 mm) falls midway between that of
the two examples illustrated by Oldenstein. Taf 9, 1 is
75.0 mm and Taf 9, 251.0mm long, measuring the top plate.
As no 2 is still fixed to a blade described as a knife, it seems
likely that the much larger no 1 is from a sword hilt. The
width of our piece is only 22.0 mm, compared to the 34.5 mm
of Taf 9, 1. On balance then, our example probably belongs
to a dagger rather than a sword. These objects are rare, but
are considered to be military on the evidence of an example
138
in a probably military grave at Lyons (ibid, 88).
Bow (Fig 160; 4245)
4245 Fig 160 SF BKC 4871(C), N525 L82. Destruction debris.
Period 5a. A fragment of a bone stiffener from a composite
bow. The construction, origins, find-spots and dating of
composite bows are discussed in Rausing 1967, especially
65-9, 99-103 and 145-51. The fragment has a flat lower
face, left rough after being sawn, and a convex upper face
which has been smoothed along the outer edge, but left
quite rough with rasp marks over most of its surface. The
surviving end is rounded and has the more or less
semicircular nock by which the bow was strung (ibid, fig 52).
Length 215.0mm.
CAVALRY ARMOUR (Fig 1 61; 4246)
4246 Fig 161 SF BKC 2855(C), H333 L13. Dump. Period 5b (end)
and possibly into 5c and 6. Three scales (one in two pieces)
from scale armour (lorica squamata) linked together by
copper-alloy wire. The method of manufacture of scale
armour is discussed in Robinson 1975,153-61. Though this
fragment could belong in the 1st century, the context from
which it derives has been taken to indicate that a later date is
more likely. The lower of the two scales joined vertically is
plated with white metal (cf Brailsford 1962, 2, A22-4). The
two unplated scales have four sets of two holes for linking
them to their neighbours, while the plated scale has no
holes at its rounded end. This is no doubt an indication that
this piece was at the end of an edge, probably an armhole,
and consequently perhaps a weak spot. This supposition is
upheld by the fact that the lowest hole and the two further
side holes of its neighbour are worn through and it itself is
twisted and in two fragments. It would seem that the plating
of this scale indicates that the outline of arm holes, the neck,
and perhaps the bottom of the garment were decorated in
this way but the rest of the armour was plain. Each scale
measures 24.0 by 0.9 mm and is 0.5 mm thick. Robinson
(1975, 154) suggests that delicate scales came from sleeves
or shoulder-pieces of cavalry sports wear rather than battle
armour. The illustration shows the scales from behind to
show the means by which they were held together.
Fig 159 Dagger? hilt-guard (1:1) Fig 161 Scales from cavalry scale armour (1:1)
Fig 160 Bone bow stiffener (1:2)