Читать книгу British and Foreign Arms & Armour - Charles Henry Ashdown - Страница 16

Table of Contents

Fig. 47.—Etruscan helmet.

With regard to the arms and armour of the Etruscans we find but little difference existing from those of the Greeks, but certain developments occurred which distinguished them from those of the parent country and were subsequently adopted by the Romans, thus laying the foundation for a separate and distinct style of equipment. The helmet in general followed the Greek lines but had a tendency towards the formation of a deep bowl-shape for the head; also wings were adopted, at times, which projected to a considerable extent and gave a distinctly Asiatic character to the headpiece (Fig. 47). For the ordinary soldier a skull-cap was in use with a truncated point upon the summit, and ornamented bosses round the rim (Fig. 48).

Fig. 48.—Etruscan soldier’s helmet.

The cuirass with its dependent lambrequins was formed, like that of the Greeks, by joining a back- and breast-plate, but the overlapping shoulder-guards, with a tendency to meet in front, so often observed upon Etruscan pottery, are quite distinct from the Greek model (Fig. 49). Cuirasses are also shown made of overlapping plates of metal (Fig. 50); of discs or lames of plate sewn on a padded base (Fig. 51); and one quilted throughout apparently without any metallic defence (Fig. 52). It has the thorax attached to it, and being viewed from behind exhibits that protection, as is also the case in Fig. 51. As a rule greaves were not worn, the limbs being entirely unprotected. The archers had a cap similar to Fig. 48, together with a tunic of leather. The bow in use was of a very simple form, as shown in Fig. 53. The shield was circular, and similar in outline to that of the Greek, but differed in its great convexity; the one shown in Fig. 54 exhibits the interior, with the method of affixing the handle.

Fig. 49.—Etruscan cuirass.

Fig. 50.—Scaled Etruscan cuirass.

Fig. 51.—Etruscan cuirass with thorax.

Fig. 52.—Etruscan cuirass with thorax.

Fig. 53.—Etruscan bow.

Fig. 54.—Etruscan shield. (Inside.)