The Armour Archive

Hello!

We're having a St Patrick's Day celebration at university and I want to try to make a more-or-less complete equipment of a Celtic warrior (if I manage to do so, I won't have to take my Irish Studies exam, and yes, it should be a Celtic warrior from Ireland). The question for you, kind gentlemen, is: what would a Celtic warrior look like? What are all the pieces that I need to make? I already have chain mail and coif (though I don't think I've ever seen a depiction of a Celtic warrior with a coif). Ok, I know I need a shield and a helmet (I'd appreciate suggestions on these as well), what else? What kind of clothes?

A couple of things to keep in your mind - first of all, I'm very inexperienced (other than the aforementioned (riveted) chain mail and coif, so far I've only made a Coat of Plates and several shields, although I found making all these rather easy, I have experience when it comes to using common tools), and second, it needs to be good-looking, not battle-worthy. As you can probably guess, I have a month and a week to complete this.

When it's all done, it will be put on a mannequin and displayed in the university hall so there shouldn't be any weapons (not that I could make any) so I thought about making a scabbard and sword handle of wood (I have enough experience with wood working to do this) to make it look as if the sword was in the scabbard around his waist. Maybe I could make a spear to put in the hand of the mannequin (would appreciate help on making a Celtic spear as well).

Anyway, all suggestions are more than welcomed

Osprey has a few visual books that may help.
As for prop weapons plastic and paint can do wonders.

What exactly is Osprey?

Osprey books.

Here's a few Osprey and other Celt picture books on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... ooks+celts

Which celtic people and what time frame? Bronze age Gaul? Iron age Celt-Iberian? 14th century Saffron shirts? 16th century Border Reivers?

Kilian_the_warlike wrote:Which celtic people and what time frame? Bronze age Gaul? Iron age Celt-Iberian? 14th century Saffron shirts? 16th century Border Reivers?

This, more info needed.

Anything until 11th century (whatever seems to be the easiest to make).

Well, Iron Age (Astérix cartoons are a silly take on this era) Germanic and NW European Celts seemed to kit out in a shield (long oval, stretched hexagonal, any variation on long, skinny, and center-gripped), a helmet and a pair of pants. Shoes too, I guess.

Iona-pattern cotun might be the way to go -- sewing machine and scissors here, doable in a month as the garment is of very simple outline. I mean, sometimes there was a visible sword belt. That's fourteenth century, and belike the two centuries preceding. Iona and other sites show a Scots-Irish penchant for tall helmets, clogaids and stretched bascinets. That might be a tall order for five weeks and no helmet experience.

Are you ever going to use this for anything besides costum?
3003 aluminum works a lot easier then steel but won't look right and will not hold up against any weapons.

Besides that I would stick with 18 guage steel and look for things ready to go out of the box.

Network with other reinactors and the local SCA chapter to see if you could barrow pieces and parts for your project.
The osprey books are fairly common and have a lot of good visuals that can help with the pieces and parts use ILL and other resouces to find pictures and images of the Pieces and parts to make up the full kit.
Your realy short on time to do the job right for museum quaity, at this point shot for stage prop or hollywood with a few well researched pieces.
Break down the costume and get photos of each article and piece find images and suppliers then get busy.

A shield, sword and scabord, belt and such should be inprocess.

What are you planning for cloths, shoes, and the under layers?
Finaly upgrade your profile to list your general location.
Your going to need access to tools and shop space a lot of these projects are not exctly dorm friendly.

How about a nice classical "naked with a sword"? Far the easiest to do; though there may be some ...

Note that if you have maille you are pretty much saying that you are on the top of the socio-economic pyramid and so will need all the other stuff appropriate for one of the 1%'rs.

Thomas Powers wrote:
Note that if you have maille you are pretty much saying that you are on the top of the socio-economic pyramid and so will need all the other stuff appropriate for one of the 1%'rs.

Like a horse. And not starving to death.

If you want simple, wide-ranging and accurate, go with a Leine. Very traditional Irish, covers a fair chunk of history (just change what armor is worn with it), and simple as hell to make. Its just a giant yellow tunic with angelwing sleeves!

Killian what you are showing is a VERY late version of the Leine. 15th-16th centuries infact. The big angel winged sleeves combine with the Ionar (vest) is much later period than he is looking for.

While there is evidence for the Leine as early as the 5th cent. It's shape back then is closer to a Byzantine garment. Long ankle length tunic with no or straight long sleeves. The bellowy sleeves and volumes of "skirt" did not come into fashion until MUCH later.

InsaneIrish wrote:....

Thanks! I knew the leine has been around, but I didnt know there was that much of a change in design.

I. Want. His. Sword.



You know which. I didn't know pommels could be the size of one's hand...