I have previously written that Ian Heath's idea that the kite-shaped shield was depicted in Europe for the first time (http://warfare.gq/WRG/Dark_Ages-61-62-Ottonian_Infantry.htm) in the 'Codex Aureus of Echternach', (The Gospel of Otto III). Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, Germany (http://warfare.gq/6C-11C/Codex_Aureus_Epternacensis.htm) was based on a dating on the reused ivory cover as c. 983-991AD, but, the manuscript is now dated as 1030-1050AD.
The earliest depiction of a Western-European kite shield may be in a Carolingian Bible, Northern France, 976-1000AD. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Latin 46 (http://warfare.gq/6C-11C/Carolingian-Biblia_Latina_Vetus_Testamentum-BnF_Latin46-f69v.htm), which was previously dated after 1000.
(https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=22412&d=1554701255)
Mirror sites
Ottonian Infantry in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath, based on the Codex Aureus of Echternach or Codex aureus Epternacensis (http://warfare.cf/WRG/Dark_Ages-61-62-Ottonian_Infantry.htm)
The Codex Aureus of Echternach or Codex aureus Epternacensis (http://warfare.cf/6C-11C/Codex_Aureus_Epternacensis.htm)
Soldier with Kite Shield in a Carolingian Bible, folio 69v, lettre ornée at the start of Deuteronomy, Northern France, 976-1000AD. Bibliothèque nationale de France. Latin 46. (http://warfare.cf/6C-11C/Carolingian-Biblia_Latina_Vetus_Testamentum-BnF_Latin46-f69v.htm)
Druzhina
Carolingian illustrations of costume and soldier (http://warfare.cf/6C-11C/Carolingian.htm)
Very nice finds D
......as usual ! :)
Cheers - Phil
+1 :)
Did kite shields originate in western Europe or were they an import?
Cheers
Ian
Quote from: Sandinista on 09 April 2019, 06:38:55 AM
Did kite shields originate in western Europe or were they an import?
Cheers
Ian
A very early kite shield is depicted in a Byzantine Manuscript of the Iliad, 10th century. BNM Mss. Gr.Z.454. (http://warfare.tk/6-10/Byzantine-Iliad-BNM-GrZ454-Venetus_A-4v.htm) Does anyone have any more specific dating for this?
Druzhina
Byzantine Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers (http://warfare.ga/Byzantine.htm)
Ian, according to my absurdly small research (fifteen mins the other day when I saw this post and got briefly interested), they originate in Western Europe (Spain-France-Burgundy/Low Countries), spread to the HRE/Italy, then to the east and Byzantium/Russia way on the first Crusade onwards. I'm sure someone with more than ten mins of web browsing can provide better :D
I found similar, but was wondering if the bits I found were just eurocentric viewpoints ignoring what was occurring in the east :)
Cheers
Ian
You're suggesting there's anything past the Vistula to the east or the Danube to the south?! Good ghu man, are you some kind of wierdo?!
Quote from: toxicpixie on 10 April 2019, 07:36:29 AM
Ian, according to my absurdly small research (fifteen mins the other day when I saw this post and got briefly interested), they originate in Western Europe (Spain-France-Burgundy/Low Countries), spread to the HRE/Italy, then to the east and Byzantium/Russia way on the first Crusade onwards. I'm sure someone with more than ten mins of web browsing can provide better :D
As a kite shield is depicted in a 10th century Byzantine Manuscript of the Iliad (http://warfare.ga/6-10/Byzantine-Iliad-BNM-GrZ454-Venetus_A-4v.htm), the Byzantines had kite shields well before the crusades.
As for Italy:
Mozaic of a Caucasian with kite shield & a Negro Swordsman Fighting, Vercelli, Piedmont., Italy, about 1040 (http://warfare.gq/6C-11C/Vercelli_Maria_Maggiore.htm)
A small kite shield is depicted in 'Lombard King Rotario Dictating the Law'. Codex Legum Longobardorum, Italy, 11th century. Abbey Cava de Tirreny, Campania. Ms. 4, f 15v (http://warfare.gq/6C-11C/Codex_Legum_Langobardorum.htm)
A kite shield is carried in 'Saint Benedict frees a prisoner', Lombard, c.1070, Monte Cassino Southern Italy. Ms.Lat. 1202, Vatican Lib., Rome. (http://warfare.gq/6C-11C/Lombard-St_Benedict_frees_a_prisoner.htm)
The iconography would suggest the kite shield moved from the east to the west.
Druzhina
Byzantine Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers (http://warfare.tk/Byzantine.htm)
Nice, good old Western European assumptions :D
Yeah, looks more like a Byzantine innovation that filtered west to Europe and east to Georgia and the Middle East!
Looks like the "Norman Shield" theory is dead in the water these days? So much for my (twenty years ago) history tutor and ten mins on the web ;)
On which note anyone a Wiki editor? That's currently basically a steal from the "Norman Shield" books :D
Quote from: toxicpixie on 11 April 2019, 08:00:57 AM
Nice, good old Western European assumptions :D
Yeah, looks more like a Byzantine innovation that filtered west to Europe and east to Georgia and the Middle East!
Looks like the "Norman Shield" theory is dead in the water these days? So much for my (twenty years ago) history tutor and ten mins on the web ;)
On which note anyone a Wiki editor? That's currently basically a steal from the "Norman Shield" books :D
A lot of orthodox history (the received view) often hangs on the surviving primary source(s). In the case of the kite shield, the Bayeux Tapestry is a Mount Rushmore like icon. It is authenticated, and establishes that the Norman's had the kite since 1070 and no doubt at least four years earlier.
To challange this orthodoxy takes diligent research to establish a creditable revision. It will hang on the aspects like (a) good primary sources, (b) the correct context - did the culture that produced the source have a heavy cavalry tradition ?
These boxes appear to be ticked. :)
Indeed, and then you have to drag a hundred years of text books and academic surety into the new orthodoxy which is always hard work :D
I'm convinced but then I don't have a dog in the race, as it were ;)
Have you seen this thread http://myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.34487.html ?
This discusses dates etc of a number of images.
Regards
Edward
Yes, the bulk of dating supporting the Iliad image as 10th century seemed reasonable. Ofc it might not be, but on balance that discussion suggested Byzantine out rather than Crusade in...
But then, I'm just skim reading other people's opinions of sources without any great skin in the game :D