The Armour Archive

Saverio

Mostly the two kids! It's been a rough ride with a lot of hospital visits and specialists. By the grace of God I think we're past the worst. I've had almost no time for reenactment projects. Teaching Latin and history to middle schoolers is the closest I get most months

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I should have been clearer. To me, a 16th century great kilt is a belted plaid. To me, 4 yards seems right for this cloak/kilt transition. Folded in half, it's still manageable as a cloak. Unfolded, it needs a belt to hold it.

Saverio

100 years in what direction? The leine is the only truly accurate piece. It's hand sewn from 22" wide pieces of linen. I thought kilts were 4.5-5 yards, so I didn't think using 4 would be that off. I don't want this to be a proper great kilt, since it's 16th century, not 17th. I thought a 4 yard bra...

Saverio

Here's a quick picture of what I have so far. You can't see the simple pouch under the kilt.

Saverio

Hey guys, long time no see! I have two kids now (9 months and 21 months) so I've been out of the reenactment loop for a while. My wife wants to go to a Renaissance fair again, so I thought I'd dust off some of my old gear. She wants to see me in a kilt and I can't bear to do it the cheesy way. I'm t...

Saverio

They based it on the Tain. Cucchulain wore some crazy armour. We don't know what it's based on. Is it a 1st century detail or a 12th century detail? I trust very little from the Tain. He was a superhero. He lept thirty feet at a time, got all big and scary like the Hulk.

Saverio

I still feel wooden armour would be a poor choice. There is no reason to believe their armour would vary that much from their neighbors. Mail would be the best choice, short sleeved earlier, lengthening with the centuries. Scale armour would be an acceptable compromise for the SCA, though the later ...

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Do you have any evidence for wooden armour? Just because it would be easy to work the wood does not mean it would have been made into armour. There is very little evidence of wooden armour throughout history and, as far as I know, none from Scotland from any period.

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I just checked out your site Wolf. When did you become so awesome

? You have double the kit I do! Now I have to hurry up and pass you!

Saverio

Well, you wouldn't have worked so hard on figuring it out if I hadn't been such a stubborn pain in the rear about garments like the inar

. Glad you proved me wrong

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Saverio

With the wedding and the renovations done I find myself with enough time to work on kit again. Where do I begin?!

Saverio

Good point. I guess I should finish the buttons on the inar

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There is barely any documentation for clothing in Ireland during that period. I use a simple shoulder bag made of wool as well as a small leather bag tied to my belt. They are usually hidden under my cloak. No one questioned them the last time I was at Clontarf.

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No it won't be cold, but I want to wear the cloak belted to look like a "new Scot" instead of an Irish kern or galloglas.

Saverio

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll be sure to get my targe made of fox tails and some pirate skull print pants.

What I'm really looking for is whether or not I should belt a cloak over this outfit

Saverio

So one of the earliest mentions of the kilt is on the "new Scots" that come to Ireland as mercenaries. I'm thinking of portraying one of these men at the next Ren fair. For soft kit, I'm thinking of wearing my 16th century Irish leine (bright yellow of course) and belting a three yard cloak around m...

Saverio

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've worked on any kit, but I've managed to finish my 9th - 11th century Irish soldier's kit. I might dye the inar a different color. http://picasaweb.google.com/conall.macfintain/IrishSoldierKit9th11thCentury?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfi_a3YgtO-eg# http://lh6.ggpht.com/_...

Saverio

Hey, I'm lucky I have enough hair for this style! My hairline must be French because it's retreating like crazy

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My helmet is on loan right now, or I'd have a spangen on my head too.

Saverio

I did more work on my low class soldier kit http://picasaweb.google.com/conall.macfintain/IrishSoldierKit9th11thCentury?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfi_a3YgtO-eg# http://lh3.ggpht.com/_UaKmjrAUNFs/TAb7x6i5E3I/AAAAAAAAAUk/fFCsdJyQs3o/s512/DSCI0114.JPG Finnacan, the more I read your essay the more I agree with it....

Saverio

Thanks guys! This helped a lot. I guess I can't make the monitor lizard hat

that I planned. I'm not sure what to do with all of these dead monitor lizards.

Saverio

Hey everyone. I'm looking for some information on what types of furs would be available to Viking traders. I'm sure sheep, goat, and bear would have been common, but which exotic furs could they get? Snow leopard? Tiger? Don't worry. Before anyone asks, I won't be using this info to justify making p...

Saverio

http://picasaweb.google.com/conall.macfintain/Clontarf2008?authkey=7PbnIHWCXzc the highlights from dan aka saverio Man....that is just SOOOO disappointing. A great Irish guy like Dan, dressed as a Norse...BTW....WHERE are the Irish...You can't have Clontarf without the Irish showing up to ruin your...

Saverio

Hey everyone,
I'm trying to find a flokati as a stand-in for an Irish shaggy mantle. The problem is every one I've found has a polypropylene base. I have a feeling I'll have to pay through the nose for an all wool flokati :/. Can anyone help me?

Saverio

Looks good!

So when will we see the rest of the late Roman kit? You already have a nice penannular brooch and some white wool for the tunic...

Saverio

Now what will I do with my 4", 10 oz cross?

I guess its for the best. Whenever I'd run it would knock a few of my teeth out.

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Thanks for the links. Does anyone know the size of any of these crosses? I'd hate to end up making a Mr. T viking necklace when it should be 1 cm long

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Rizzo, I should have been more clear. I plan on hammering an ingot into sheet and cutting the cross out.

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Thank you Rizzo. I was mainly worried about a cross being forged vs. cast, not the decoration. I may use my triangle punch anyway, though this may be a good time to make a new punch

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This is for all of the Viking scholars out there. There are bracelets, arm rings, finger rings, and a few hammers made from silver and decorated with punch work. http://saverio.mediumaevum.com/viking_silver_ring.jpg http://www.ragweedforge.com/horda.jpg http://www.ragweedforge.com Have you ever seen...

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Thank Endre! This could make for an interesting lesson

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E-mails are sent, let's see if I get a response. This is no longer just my obsession. All of my students (I teach Latin) want to be the Tollund Man or the Elling Woman (minus the strangulation). They really want to make a dozen of these wooden men and give them a home in front of the school :). http...

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Thank you Endre!

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Hey everyone, Lately I've become interested in Iron Age Denmark. All of those bog bodies provide so much information. I just wish I could read Danish ;). I really want to make one of those fur capes, but I can't find a good picture of it's construction. This one isn't bad http://home3.inet.tele.dk/e...

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Finnacan, I'm glad you challenge the ideas that I present as absolute. I sometimes need to look at things from another point of view and you've helped me do that. If I'm not careful I might start using the always and never approach :). I now can see that front opening garment over some leines. I am ...

Saverio

Thanks for the kind words Finnacan :). I should have been more specific. Inar and ionar are (as far as I know) are variations on the same word. I was using them in different ways, but the Irish of the period surely didn't. My point was there were two separate garments, one worn with trews, which is ...

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"New Scots" and kilts?

Irish soldier's kit (Viking Age) PICS

Viking furs?

Flokati without polypropylene?

Norse crosses?

Bog Bodies, Fur Cloaks, and the Iron Age