Arma

This page exists to allow anybody seeking parallels for pieces of military equipment to ask for the help of others. If you want to submit something, send a drawing to Arma - or email a scanned image (as a TIFF, JPEG, or GIF file) to custos.armourum@pobox.com - and it will be posted here and announced on ArmaList. Please make sure you have the permission of the copyright owner of the illustration, whoever that might be.

A New Cheekpiece

posted 5.3.97

Geoffrey Summers would like to know if anybody can provide an identification for this piece from Turkey. He writes:

'It was a surface find at the base of the Kale (castle) on the Kerkenes Dag (see Anatolian Studies 1995 and 1996 for background). The Kale was occupied from the 6th century BC to the Byzantine (?7th AD). There are substantial walls of Achaemenid or, less probably, Hellenistic date and a substantial Byz. curtain wall. There is some evidence (pottery and coins) for Hellenistic and Roman, but any structures are obscured by the Byz. The site probably lies east of Galatia, but could just possibly be on the eastern border. My feeling is that we are on the northern edge of Cappadocia. In other words, the date could be almost anywhere.

'...Julian [Bennett] thinks that the piece has been cut down, which is possible but not self evident. It is in excellent condition and if it has been reduced it seems clear that it was used, i.e. it is not a piece of scrap.

'The date is of some interest to us because of its implications, i.e. if it is Roman (2nd century) it would perhaps suggest that we have the site of a garrison commanding a cross roads.

'...We will of course give credit for information in the publication.'

Plase send suggestions, parallels etc. to summers@rorqual.cc.metu.edu.tr

The excavation of an important Roman site near the Rhône valley (Roquemaure, Gard) produced a bronze circular phalera which will be published very soon in Arma. Bronze phalerae with bust, such as the Xanten ones, seem to be very well formed, but this one is rather schematic. I am particularly interested in any parallel you could help me to find, not only for the object but for the significance of the crescent-shape ornament on the top of the bust.

Thanks in advance for your help (answers needed by 15/12/96)!

Please reply to Michel Feugère <michel.feugere@wanadoo.fr>.