The Roman Gadget Archaeologists Can't Figure Out | March 29, 2022 | Sideprojects
Posted on 04/03/2022 6:52:09 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
The Roman Gadget Archaeologists Can't Figure Out | March 29, 2022 | Sideprojects
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
An actuator for witches broom sticks. Everyone knows broom stick handles have different diameters so they just insert to the correct hole.
It’s either a primitive sextant or a disgronificator.
5.56mm
looks like proto-Rubik’s cube — it didn’t last long, though, because it was too easy to figure out.
I doubt it, but in support of it, chainmail has been around a long time, at least 1st c BC.
WHAT IS IT???
Mystery of the Roman World!
Enjoy a frosty Blizzart!
Exit 221 • 10 miles
Imagine what would happen if some one threw a bunch of them before a calvary charge? When horses stepped on them, they would lose their footing and tumble, causing the ones behind to bunch up.
A military devise to defeat or break up calvary charges.
Been tossing it around in what passes for my brain.
It’s the knobs.
Since chainmail is so “floppy”, the knobs would be perfect to hold a section flat. An open ring of chain, slightly larger than a chosen hole, could be threaded between two rings to join them. Tension on the mail with one hand would allow the open ring, wedged against the hole, to stand “gap up” while the other hand would use a pliers to close the ring.
Could prolly be explained better, but it does make sense.
Reasonable, although it would make more sense if they were made out of steel or iron.
One thing mitigating in favor of these being more or less trivial (amulets) is that AFAIK there’s no surviving description of their production or use for any kind of purpose at all. :^)
LOL
The Romans beat the Sarmatians (among others) and brought them into their own auxiliary ranks, so they had that covered. Could be though, because they’d beaten the barbarian horsemen in the first place.
In the middle ages, in Sicily, the saracens scattered broken pottery to prevent a cavalry charge. Hardraada was still in service to the Byzantines, and he and his men just cut palm fronds off nearby trees and wrapped their horses’ hooves and lower legs, and charged. :^)
I didn’t know chain mail was around BC. Pretty sure it was expensive though. Maybe its a ring mail repair tool. Interesting.
The “no discription” might be explained as a “trade secret” kept by tradesmen/women camp followers. ICBW but I doubt chainmail was issued equipment and therefore only used by higher ranks and/or those wealthy enough to afford it and its upkeep.
Like I said earlier, just a thought.
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:^) The main problem with lack of documentation of course is, it’s surprising there’s as much as there is, but much of it must have crumbled away, or gone into the barbarian fire on a cold night. Even assuming it had been written down, it could be that none of it has survived.
In the video, an icosohedral example is shown, no holes (so, not for making glove fingers, or for ranging artillery which at first caught my interest), but those balls are still there, so, field chainmail repair is still alive. :^)
They had the astrolabe or something like it. All these examples were found inland, and occasionally in the grave of a posh woman.
https://www.google.com/search?q=astrolabe&tbm=isch
Oh, for all — the Brave browser has intro’d its own URL-line search engine. It can still be configured to default to other search engines though.
The presence of zodiac signs on at least one of these points to a non-material purpose for them.
The Big Dipper would be a good name for an ice cream place though. :^)
I was surprised by that as well, turns out, the Celts were making and using it in the 1st c BC. The Romans adopted good ideas from trade partners, neighbors, and even adversaries, and the Gauls were definitely in that third category. ;^)
It’s a chastity device for groups of soldiers caught in conduct unbecomingg...
Oooh, good one!
Good thinkin’!
They did like their incense.
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