Spectacular Exhibition & New Combat Technique Video

Hello friends of arms & armour.

Last Friday I attended the opening of the special exhibition “Cold Case – Death of a Legionnaire“ at the Varus Battle Museum in Kalkriese which, for the first time, presents the Augustean lorica segmentata found right at the museum’s doorstep in 2018. I share with you some impressions below.

Also read about a cool technique for Viking sword and shield suggested by my fellow swordsman and researcher Mikkel Mønsted.

I hope you will find today's newsletter interesting and enjoyable.

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A 2000-year-old Armour

In 2020 I had the privilege of creating the very first visualisation of a preliminary reconstruction of the Kalkriese Roman body armour prior to its press release. I guess this is my most widespread illustration. This year I did a new one showing a revised reconstruction.

With conservation completed, you can see the actual piece in all its splendour in a superb special exhibition now. It is absolutely worth visiting. Note that it closes on 5 November, and will not be extended, as the armour will subsequently go to the British Museum. So better plan your visit in time!

I really liked the exhibition’s concept which explains to the visitors how archaeology works. Discovery, excavation, scanning, conservation, reconstruction and contextual interpretation are illustrated in numerous interactive displays, audio visual installations, replicas and related artefacts from various periods.

The exhibited archaeological artefacts comprise e.g. some of the Thorsberg bog finds, two coats-of-plates from the 1361 battle of Visby (first time to be seen outside of Sweden!), or an obscure WW I body armour to name but a few.

Amongst additional Roman finds from Kalkriese that you do not want to miss are the longest pilum (Roman spear) ever found, and the metal sheath of a pugio, a Roman military dagger.

My friend and archaeologist Ingo Petri said that this is the most complex and elaborate exhibition he has ever been involved in. It took about a year to put it together.

The armour is of course the exposition’s centrepiece. Ingo told us that it had been mounted onto the almost invisible display rack on site by a specialist company. The rack was initially adjusted to 3D prints of all fragments which were then replaced by the original ones piece by piece.

Their examination had revealed that the armour is fully developed and in some regards even superior to the well-known later example found at Corbridge (which was supposed to be part of he exhibition, too, but got stuck at customs!).

Ingo gave a group of re-enactors and myself a guided tour, and, as a special treat, he let some of us try on a replica of the lorica segmentata (in German: “Schienenpanzer” = splint armour). It fits me perfectly, and did not restrict mobility at all. I was quite amazed that it weighs a full 11 kg. It did not feel like it at all. I would have guessed that it was more like maybe 7 or 8 kg at the most.

I will soon share with you a more detailed review with more photos and videos. Patrons of mine can already watch an exclusive video of the displayed armour.

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Viking Shield Combat Technique

Mikkel Mønsted has been my partner in the exploration of Viking fighting for many years. He has recently shared another great technique. I enjoyed his post and video, even more so as the very situation he addresses occurred when I was fencing Jacob Bjerre Johansen with sharp swords at the Jomsborg Great Gathering recently.

My response was a variation of what Mikkel shows in his video: With the biting sharp edge, I managed to pull Jacob's weapons towards me using his bound blade as a lever. Simultaneously I was pushing forward my shield, inverting my shield hand, so that I eventually folded my shield over Jacob’s arms and weapons. He said afterwards that he was completely immobilized and defenseless at that point.

See technique breakdown & video

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Sword & Buckler Overbinds

At the Berlin Buckler Bouts in May, Cornelius and myself made some time to record a video on overbinding in medieval sword & buckler fencing. The demonstration also addresses fighting a left-hander (and vice versa), and gives technical and conceptual advice.

The video complements our extensive online course. With my various illustration projects coming to their end one by one, I will soon have time to finalise the course.

Tonight I will attend yet another webinar in order to learn the best means of making the course available to you and the world. I am not much of a tech person, but it seems that constantly learning how to use new apps and online platforms has become inevitable for all of us, and vital to self-employed niche business entrepreneurs.

Well, it makes me appreciate the analogue joy of fencing, making scabbards or gardening all the more.

Live the real life!

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So, that's it for today. Take care, and keep your blade well-honed.

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Yours,

Roland

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