Similar to the Merovingian buckle found in St. Denis grave 50. Riveted directly to the belt. Loop and pin would have moved. 5.3cm

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Extremely nice Frankish buckle, imitating a Byzantine style. All of the parts still move freely. 6.9cm.

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Check the grave reports before making and wearing these buckles. Many of the more impressive types seem to have been worn by women.
mark

Mark, could you show me an example of a buckle like the "Anglo-Saxon integral plate buckle, 6.2cm" you showed that is attached to a belt? You say that they were either stitched or wired on, but I can't visualize how this was done.

Here is a replica Byzantine buckle, wired on to the belt, and the antique it's based on.
I wouldn't call it stitched, but more 'wired" or "laced".
mark

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One last question Mark, do buckles that have round rivets (like these: http://www.museedestempsbarbares.fr/fr/fetes-...and/26.jpg, http://www.museedestempsbarbares.fr/fr/fetes-...and/24.jpg) have a back plate? Or are the rivets similar in construction to the ones you've shown that use wires?

I read a reference on (http://www.die-bajuwaren.de/Wir_ueber_uns_frame.htm) that states one of their buckles has a rectangular back plate. I was wondering if you had any info on these. Thanks again.

I don't know about backplates, except for the Sutton Hoo buckle..
Do you mean the large domes? They may be associated with lugs (rivet really is a misnomer).The Sutton Hoo gold buckle has three domes on the front which are soldered to pierced lugs that engage with sliding catches on the hinged back plate.
Here is an incomplete Merovingian buckleplate (probably for a woman's buckle) with a dome and lug, but they are separate. The lug has been cast as part of the plate, and the dome is riveted on . The rivet is just visible behind the lug in the photo of the underside of the plate.

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Questions are fine! I'm a buckle geek:) We should probably start a new, thread, though.
mark

Is there any evidence for what was used to hold the leather strap onto the lugs? In the picture you used a wire, would that wire be fastened under the belt to the buckle?

I've seen no surviving wires, so I suspect that cord, heavy thread, or sinew was used. I used wire because I'm a metalworker, and find sewing to be dangerous:) The wire was handy- I would have had to search for thread or string.
mark

gday guys,

i have a fair bit of info on the Vendel period but one thing i havent seen a lot of is the footware

can someone point me to the right direction or show me some footware of the period.

my kit is based on the Vendel and Valsgarde finds in sweden so if it is from those areas its even better

cheers
Mick

just giving this one a bump for attention :D

This morning I sat down to quickly research the different helms available on the market and was captured by this discussion. The work presented is beautiful, but even better (to me) is the scholarship and efforts being taken to ensure that things just make sense from a real-world perspective.

For example, I believed that the crest on a helmet was purely decorative, but now I know that it also served a real world purpose, to protect the head from specific types of weapons. Great work!

I think I am beginning to settle on the helmet I am looking for. While I like the Coppergate Helmet, but it seems a bit over the top and Sutton Ho is clearly the helmet of a king. Wollaston is plain and functional, yet certainly more at the same time.

Does anyone know of a fairly accurate and solid commercially available reproduction available in the states of the Wollaston Helmet (see attached)?

If not, does anyone know of an armorer who might be able to craft one at a cost that is relatively affordable (understanding you get what you pay for)?

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http://heronarmoury.co.uk/helmet7.htm


any good?

Manning Imperial makes a variation on that helmet. They're not in the USA and I wouldn't really call them "cheap" but the price isn't too high either. Not sure how long it would take for them to make one, but it probably wouldn't hurt to contact.

http://www.manningimperial.com/item.php?item_...mp;c_id=28

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The one from Heron Armory is very nice too :D , but again not in the USA and not sure of price.

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no one has any idea about footware of this period?

ok going to have to go and hit some very old books of a mate then