The Armour Archive

Something has occurred to me. Stiffened linen armor has been around for millennia, particularly used by armies in warmer climates (Ancient Egypt, for example). What I am wondering is if there is any evidence to support the use of thick layers of stiff cloth as shield edging? It would be faster and cheaper than metal or leather, but I can imagine that it wouldn't last as long. Thoughts?

Is this for a historical shield project, or an SCA shield?

Historically speaking in the high middle ages there was no shield edging as you are thinking of. Romans used a metal edges, leather was used in the era many call the dark ages, but medieval people simply stretched the leather face for the front of the shield over the edges to the back were it was attached to the wood. Sometimes, especially in English finds, there are linen layers under the leather.

James, any idea as to why they would put the linen under the leather?

Probably because they noticed that glued down cloth helped a shield stay together under battering. Where the leather came in was as an easily sealed weather resistant cover that was also very tough -- did two jobs. It's mighty rainy in England, and medieval glues aren't very waterproof.

I could only speculate on the same lines as Konstantin. Also some shields have layers of parchment used like some used linen.

What amazes me is how light one of these shields are when you build one, some have been lighter than an single layer of canvas on an aluminum shield.

Depending on intended use -
I use a doubled over canvas for the outer edging on my shield to cover the ugly black drain hose I use for edging.

I guess the bonus is that I can mix/match the colors I use and spruce up my shield that way.

Historical - not likely.
Looks good for SCA and similar applications - sure.

That may be the complete last word right there.

Against sharps they needed particularly tough stuff to hold together vs. cuts, as much as might be done, and as long as may be, within a certain weight limit -- limits both lower and upper, so a shield couldn't be simply brushed aside, but could also be held in proper guard for enough time. I'd expect to see rawhide figuring pretty heavily in all that, either over all the shield or merely about its edges.

Linen fabric soaked in glue will shrink as the glue dries, stretching tightly over the wood and compacting the layers together for strength.

My latest SCA shield has two layers on the front, one on the back, and extra scraps around the edges so there's 6 layers there under the rawhide edging. So far, the 3/8" Baltic birch plywood has stood up well for 6 months, but that's not much of a test yet.