starter`s handbook and kit guide

STARTER’S HANDBOOK AND KIT GUIDE
BRITAIN: 1ST CENTURY AD
The period Dumnonika aims to re-enact is the first century AD, a period of great
change for our small islands. While the first half of the century sees the people of
Britain continuing life much as they had for the previous six hundred years or so, in
AD43 the coming of the Romans changes everything, with a period of resistance and
turmoil.
Trade with Rome had been going on for some time, and in 55 and 54BC our shores
had seen Caesar’s attempt at conquest, although beyond the tribes involved in the
South East, this must have been distant news that hardly affected the lives of those
that heard of it. However, we can see in the archaeological evidence signs that the
peoples of Southern Britain were already taking on more and more aspects of Roman
life, importing wine, jewellery and pottery.
When Claudius’ legions landed in AD43 they focussed their efforts on the tribes of
the South East, aiming for what they considered to be the capital of the most powerful
tribe in Britain, Camulodunum of the Catuvellauni. Once victory was secured here,
the Second Augusta, commanded at that time by the future emperor Vespasian,
headed west, subjugating (according to Suetonius) “two powerful nations”,
presumably the Belgae (Hampshire and Somerset) and the Durotriges (Dorset).
The Dumnonii
Upon meeting the most westerly tribe, the Dumnonii, however, Vespasian’s advance
seems to have come to a halt. There are no accounts of fighting the tribe, and
evidence for Roman military presence in the territory is minimal, suggesting that they
felt no need to stamp their authority on the tribe. The Legion stationed themselves at
Isca Dumnoniorum (modern Exeter) and archaeological evidence in general seems to
suggest that for the tribe, life continued pretty much as normal. Perhaps the
Dumnonii, having seen the fate of the Durotriges, simply accepted Rome and were, as
a result, allowed to live in peace.
Before the coming of Rome, the Dumnonii (a name which appears to mean ‘deep
valley dwellers’) seem to have been fairly isolated from neighbouring tribes of
Britain, with strong cultural links to their Armorican cousins of what is now Brittany
across the Channel. The tribe also seems to have lacked any central government, a
number of small hillforts and defensible farmsteads instead pointing at a number of
small tribes living in close proximity.
Dumnonika
Using the old Celtic, ‘Dumnonika’ literally means ‘of the Dumnonii’. By covering
the 1st Century AD we can present both the period preceding and immediately
following the coming of Rome to Britain. By representing a tribe that was apparently
so little touched by the arrival of the legions, we can show the colour and culture of
the British people that existed even before Rome’s ‘civilising’ influence, or work
alongside Roman groups covering the invasion. We aim to use what evidence there is
available to present the most accurate portrayal possible to educate and entertain the
public, opening their eyes to Britain before Rome!
USEFUL CONTACTS
At time of writing the group is in a fledgeling stage, so really the only contact I can
put in here is myself. As the group grows, someone please remind me to update
contact lists…
Drustan Durman (Drustanos): Currently Group leader, authenticity officer,
membership officer, treasurer, military officer, evil mastermind dictator….
Tel: 0787 544 26 23 email: [email protected]
USEFUL LINKS
Armamentaria: Supplier of (mainly Roman) kit, check with Authenticity Officer
before buying anything.
www.armamentaria.com
Dave Budd: Iron Age blacksmith. Contact him for knives, spearheads and period
accurate tools. Don’t ask about swords!
http://www.davebudd.com/IronAgeBlacksmith.html
Heather Rose Jones: For those of you truly keen on authenticity! A wonderful site
giving examples of stitching techniques as found in archaeology. Check periods and
materials the stitches were used on.
http://heatherrosejones.com/archaeologicalsewing/index.html
Herts Fabrics: Supplier of materials, well worth a look. If in doubt about weave,
pattern or colour, check with Authenticity Officer.
http://www.hertsfabrics.com/
Kelticos: Internet discussion forum for Iron Age Europe.
information, highly recommended for all members.
http://www.kelticos.org
Brilliant source of
Scotweb: Scottish fabric supplier. Good for a range of tweeds and checks.
Remember, avoid tartans. As always, if in doubt, check with Authenticity Officer.
http://www.scotweb.co.uk/
Will Rathouse: Creator of basic Iron Age fibulae. Always handy to have another
link for goodies!
email: [email protected]
BASIC AUTHENTICITY POLICY
Historical re-enactment is a hobby and, as such, the reason we all do this is because
it’s fun. It is important to remember, however, that when members of the public come
to see a display we put on, the majority of them will walk away believing what we’ve
shown them as an accurate portrayal of our period, even if we’ve made mistakes. A
small minority may be well researched in the Iron Age and WILL spot these mistakes,
but it is not for these people we strive to be accurate.
We have a responsibility to our audience to NEVER show anything we know to be
inaccurate if we can possibly help it.
Meanwhile, there is no reason why we can’t all have fun if we take authenticity
seriously. Once we’ve got the kit right we can lose ourselves in the hobby without
worrying whether the Authenticity Officer is going to be on our backs.
The kit guide following is designed to explain the facts as best as possible so that
should any of your kit be challenged you can present reasons why you are wearing a
tunic in a certain style. Also by giving the most accurate patterns possible in the
Starter Guide it should help to ensure that your first kit is right and will therefore cost
you less (material and time to correct your kit cost money!)
This same reason is why we advise you to check with Authenticity Officer before
making any purchase you’re unsure on, in order to avoid spending lots of money on
something (say, a sword) only to find out you can’t use it because it’s incorrect for
our period.
A large part of the fun and interest value of re-enactment is the learning involved as
you delve deeper into a fascinating and amazing period of history.
We hope you enjoy your time in Dumnonika, and the kit guide below is here to help
you do just that.
KIT GUIDE
Materials, Colours and Patterns:
The materials available for clothing in the Iron Age were far more limited than we
have today, pretty much composing of wool and linen, although for extremely
wealthy individuals silk would have been available through trade, though not the
smooth silk we know today. In order to keep things simple, we’ll keep to wool and
linen for the moment. If you wish to incorporate silk into your clothing later, discuss
it with the Authenticity Officer. Weaves would have been Tabby Weave (basic overunder weaving), Herringbone Weave (creates a zig-zagging pattern), Diamond Twill
(creates diamond shapes in the material).
As for the colours available, the range of colours possible with natural dyes is
incredible, with some colours looking as though they could only have been gained
using modern chemicals. The big disadvantage however, was the fastness of colour.
Deep colours would fade quickly and be difficult and expensive to achieve, so unless
you are representing a powerful and wealthy noble it is best to avoid these. Blue
would be achievable with the Woad plant, yellow with Weld, red would be possible
with Madder (the native variety didn’t give such good reds, more orangey or pinkish,
but trade with Roman Gaul means we would most likely have access to better reds if
wealthy enough). Greys, browns and blacks would be relatively easy (though black
would be trickier), a nice pale mauve type purple can be achieved with blueberries,
while greens seem to have most likely been almost yellow or blue. Please avoid deep
greens.
We know from Roman and Greek accounts that the Ancient Celts loved bright
colours. Diodorus Siculus, a Sicilian Greek historian of the Roman Empire:
“The clothing they wear is striking- tunics which have been dyed and embroidered in
various colours and breeches; they also wear striped cloaks fastened by a brooch on
the shoulder, heavy for winter and light for summer, in which are set checks, close
together and of various hues.”
So stripes and checks are definitely possible, though please avoid tartans. If unsure,
check with the Authenticity Officer!
Seams:
Depending on how committed you are, we will let you get away with a machine sewn
seam so long as it is not obviously machine sewn. Any visible stitching must be
handsewn. This may seem daunting at first, but with practice hand sewing can come
easily, although it is time consuming! If you’re up for a challenge, refer to the
Heather Rose Jones Archaeological Sewing site on the links page and have a go!
Please hem any exposed edges that aren’t selvedges, as clothes making would have
been an expensive use of time and effort, so allowing a garment to fray and fall apart
would have been wasteful. An alternative to hemming is to finish with tablet weave,
although this should probably be saved for higher status individuals.
Trousers:
Trousers may be the first bit of kit you need: there are accounts of Celtic warriors
wearing only trousers and cloaks in battle, such as Polybius’ account of the Battle of
Telamon, where:
“The Insubres and Boii wore their trousers and light cloaks.”
Thus it is possible that as a low status British warrior you may be able to take the field
with nothing more than a pair of trousers.
Unfortunately, while we know that the Celts wore trousers, what type of trousers they
wore is a subject of much conjecture and argument. There are certainly cases for both
long and short trousers.
The Argument for Short Trousers:
The word used for Celtic trousers in Roman accounts is ‘Bracae’. Now we can see
this word carrying on in the etymology of words like ‘braies’ (short britches worn as
underwear in the early medieval period), ‘breeches’, ‘breeks’ or ‘britches’ (all knee
length trousers rather than full length).
Combine this linguistic link with pictorial evidence from the Gundestrup Cauldron, a
large bronze vessel discovered in Denmark and dated to the 1st Century BC, as well
as with images of Roman soldiers wearing knee length britches (‘feminalia’ in Latin),
which are apparently copied off the Gauls they fought, and there is a strong case for
short trousers.
Detail from Gundestrup Cauldron, 1st Century BC
Detail from Trajan’s Column, 2nd Century AD
As far as evidence for British trousers goes, there is only one very vague image of a
British warrior known that shows a style of trouser, a coin minted by Tasciovanos of
the Catuvellauni. The image seems to show a warrior with loose fitting trousers
above the knee, which are then either tied close to the leg or simply stop at the knee.
Tasciovanos coin, 1st Century AD
It could be that the warrior shown above is wearing leg wraps, which will be
discussed later in this guide.
The Argument for Long Trousers:
Other than a traditional view of Celts wearing long trousers, there is only about as
much evidence to support full length trousers as there is for short leg trousers. There
is an image from Morocco that is often assumed to be a Celtic mercenary, and a small
bronze statuette of a fallen warrior from Alesia in Gaul, but the most appropriate for
Iron Age Britons is the Bridgeness Stone, which shows a Roman cavalryman
trampling Britons underhoof. One of them, if you look carefully, has a line at his
waist and another at his ankle, suggesting full length trousers.
’Celt’ from Volubilis, Morocco, date (?).
Fallen Gaulish warrior, bronze statuette from Alesia, 2nd
Century AD.
Trampled British warrior, Bridgeness Stone, 2nd Century AD.
Some would argue that the Thorsberg trousers, found in a Danish bog, are evidence
for long trousers, but they date to the 4th Century AD, so are perhaps a little out of
our range.
With evidence for both long and short trousers (and the suggestion that the Dumnonii
had cultural links with their Armorican cousins across the channel in Gaul) we will
accept either, although as the ‘median seam’ that we are used to on modern trousers is
not found in any ancient garments found as yet we propose the following pattern.
Marx-Etzel Pattern:
Found in a German bog and dated as early as the 2nd century AD the Marx Etzel
breeches are knee length, but there is no real reason why the pattern should not be
transferred to a full leg length. The pattern shown here is tailored more than the
original to allow stripes and checks to line up where seams join, and to reduce the
excess material at the waistband. Ensure that the drop is enough to reach from navel,
under the crotch and up to the small of the back, and allow plenty of width for the
crotch at the top of the trapezium. To make full length trousers, simply adapt the
measurements so that the bottom measurement is ankle rather than knee and the inside
leg is the whole leg.
The flap in the middle folds up and the edges fold in, so that the ‘bottom’ edge of the
central flap becomes part of the top edge of the garment (the waistband), and the legs
are formed. The finished garment should look something like this:
To fasten them, simply belt them (either with a proper belt or a cord) and roll the
waistband down over the belt a couple of times to give a look similar to that of the
fallen Gaulish warrior shown above. Other patterns with suitable evidence to support
them will be allowed, but discuss with the Authenticity Officer first. This pattern is
simply given to save you hours of research, although please feel free to do the
research anyway!
Leg Wraps:
As mentioned above in reference to the Tasciovanos coin, it is possible that short
trousers would have been combined with leg wraps to cover the calves and lower legs,
and perhaps long trousers may have been gathered at the calf by wraps as well.
Examples have been found of these in the ancient world, including a find from a
Dutch bog dated to the late Bronze Age and Gaulish and Gallo-Roman statues
showing them. Rather than the ‘puttee’ style worn by Anglo-Saxon groups, Iron Age
leg wraps appear to have been rectangles of material bound at knee and ankle by
straps.
Dutch Late Bronze Age leg wraps from
Søgårds Mose.
Statue of a ‘Treveri’ peasant. Gallo-Germanic. Date
unknown.
Tunics:
We know from various sources, written and archaeological, that Celtic tunics varied
from the sleeveless tunic of the Roman empire. Strabo describes Celtic tunics thus in
his Geographies:
“they wear slit tunics that have sleeves and reach as far as their private parts and the
buttocks.”
From this description we can picture a tunic that is not overly long and allows
movement in the legs by having slits up the sides. This is not far different from the
Thorsberg tunic, which although dates from the 4th Century AD, shares the same cuff
design as the Vacheres Warrior, a statue of a Gaulish warrior from the 1st Century
BC. Note that in order to get the seam running along the back of the arm as in the
picture, the seam must join the body at the back of the shoulder and not at the armpit
where it would on a modern garment.
Vacheres Warrior, Gaul, 1st Century BC.
The following pattern is a basic design that incorporates all necessary points about
Celtic tunics, although is possibly more correct for higher status individuals. If folded
back cuffs are not desired, simply cut the sleeves a little shorter than the width of the
body.
For those of lower status, it is likely that tunics would have been woven out of one
piece on the loom in order to save cutting material. Such a tunic would not have the
seam up the back of the arm in the style of the Vacheres warrior, but he wear mail
armour and is therefore a high status individual. For lower status individuals the
second pattern may be used. Again, suitable alternatives may be accepted if sufficient
evidence is presented to the Authenticity Officer.
Dresses:
Iron Age dresses appear to have been similar in style to the Roman Peplos, or tube
dress, simply a tube of material pinned at each shoulder and belted at the waist. In
our cold climate, it is quite likely such a dress would have gone over a long sleeved
underdress, much the same in style as the man’s tunic, only longer and possibly wider
in the body to allow for movement. Since we have no evidence for such underdresses
and they wouldn’t have been seen with the peplos over the top, it is possible that
instead of being wider they simply had a long slit up the side of the skirt, or were
simply normal tunics, no longer than a man’s. I shall leave this decision up to the
individual. There is also an argument for a combination of a tunic with a skirt, as has
been discovered in Denmark, although the peplos is the preferred option.
Huldremose Dress, Denmark, Iron Age.
In order to have enough material it is recommended to make sure the peplos is as wide
as your elbows at least if you stand with outstretched arms, and for the material to be
slightly longer than you are tall in order to get the folded over panel at front and back.
This rather charming picture shows how a peplos would be fitted:
Shoes:
The shoes worn before Rome’s arrival in Britain would have been simple, most likely
one piece of leather gathered up around the foot by a lace. Examples vary from
simple sheets of leather that would have created ‘bag’ shoes to more elaborate cut out
patterns that fit the foot more comfortably.
Iron Age shoes preserved in a bog.
Ütersen bog shoe, 0-4th Century AD
Cloaks:
As has already been mentioned, the Celts wore different cloaks depending on the
weather, light in summer, heavy in winter. Since most re-enactment is done during
the summer months, a light cloak is recommended. What you classify as a light cloak
is open to debate, but since we have accounts of Celts fighting in their cloaks I would
suggest that the cloak be light enough and manageable enough to fight in, while still
being large enough to be useful as a cloak. I personally have a cloak 3m by 1.5m. If
I’m cold I fold it in half and wrap it around myself, if it’s raining I leave it unfolded
and drape it over my head and around myself, and when fighting I fold it in half and
half again. Since we only have the description and one image (unfortunately I can’t
find an mage not protected by copyright, but the Civitalba Frieze from Italy shows
two Celtic warriors fleeing in their cloaks, which seem to be knee or ankle length) the
only rule here is that it should be a rectangular cloak pinned at the shoulder by a
cloakpin.
Cloakpins:
Before Roman influence on Britain, cloakpins would have been bow shaped fibulae,
effectively glorified safety pins in the style shown below:
Polden Hill fibula, Somerset, AD.40-70
There is an argument that the penannular brooch (as shown below) was a British
design, but it doesn’t seem particularly popular until the arrival of Rome, although
even then it doesn’t completely replace the bow shaped fibula.
Penannular brooch.
Since we are re-enacting a period of change and influences, both styles of cloakpin
are permitted within Dumnonika.
Belts:
Another change the Romans seem to have brought to Britain is the use of belt buckles.
Before this, Iron Age British belts seem to have been fastened with hooks, loops and
toggles.
Selection of toggles found in the Kirburn grave, Yorkshire. 300-200BC.
Belt fitting found on Isle of Wight. Dated to 120BC-AD43
The Vicus present a possible design for a toggle belt on their website:
http://www.vicus.org.uk/kitguide/index.htm
Any belt that uses a toggle to fasten will be accepted, so long as the toggle is of a
correct Iron Age style or organic.
For low status individuals, belts can be simply a tied length of cord, braid or tablet
weave.
Jewellery:
Jewellery appears to be rather rare in the Iron Age, suggesting that only high status
individuals should wear any. What there is though is quite beautiful.
As mentioned above, brooches were used to hold cloaks and dresses together, and
they seem to have been mostly plain, although a few were enamelled or decorated
with red corral and white glass.
The picture below shows a bead necklace. Such a necklace would have been very
uncommon, most women would have had one or two beads, if that, and they would
likely have been worn as ear rings or in the hair.
Bangles of bronze or soft stone such as shale or jet (more likely shale in our region)
could have been worn on wrist or ankle, and spiral rings were also known, although
rare, and could also have been worn on fingers or toes.
Collection of jewellery in the British Museum, 400-200BC.
Torcs were also known, although they are high status items worn only by the rich and
powerful.
Torc from the Polden Hill Hoard, Somerset, AD40-70.
Weapons and Tools:
As Dumnonika is primarily a Living History group with more focus on everyday life
than warfare it is hoped that individual members will choose an aspect of Iron Age
life they would like to represent, be it blacksmith, carpenter, fisherman, merchant,
slave, spinner, weaver or whatever. As such this kit guide will not give the potentially
exhausting list of tools and weapons.
Members are strongly encouraged to research their chosen area of interest and discuss
with the Authenticity Officer any tools and equipment they wish to use as part of the
group display.