The Armour Archive

I am attempting to recrate a "Viking" shield like the ones from Oesberg and/or Gokstad. I will be placing three iron bars across the back as required by the Gulaþing laws (andbecause it makes since to me)

My question is how to attach the bars?

The bosses are attached with clinch nails, from the front to the back.
Should I attach the rear bars with clinch nails from the back to the front? I don't like that because it will "look ugly" on the front of the shield and I'm not covering the face with anything besides oil..
From the front to the back? And clinch them to the side of the bar?
Glue and small nails that won't penetrate the face of the shield?

Thanks for your input (double thanks if you reply quickly, I'm working on this Sunday 3/13/11)
-Halbrust

Could the decorative fittings on the face of the shield be Burrs to support through rivets from the iron bars on the back side?
The dig report may have better notes on nails or rivets if found.


reproduction on display at the british museum
Sutton Hoo back
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... m=1&itbs=1

Sutton Hoo front
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... m=1&itbs=1

Lostie, ya coulda shrunk those URLs by mousing over the URL button and following the directions in the Tip line, ya know.

Hmm. What's there isn't very helpful to someone who's never done it.
1. Copy link as usual.
2. Click URL button. Gets you the bracketURLbracket.
3. Put cursor inside the bracket and insert =. Now your URL bracket looks like [ URL= ] minus the spaces.
4. Still inserting, paste link within that open-URL thing. It will read [ URL=httpcolonslashslashlinklinketylinketcetera ], minus the spaces, closing with the bracket.
5. Now you can write some text about what that URL is, like Helmet, or Too Funny! I like to underline or bold the text, which will be a different color too.
6. Close the URL tag w/Close Tags.

Voilà, short convenient URLs, not like those lengthy Google monstrosities, which stay hidden in the brackets! Takes mere moments.