While I remember...

[stellar_muddle]

And vaguely attempt to organise myself...

We have a kilo of shrapnell from previous NZ trips - remind me which coins are have changed and which are still legal. I did link to it in LJ when it first came out but didn't tag it (bad me). Also, is it a particular bank or any bank for changing the buggers?

Is there anything (drinkies/party-like) scheduled for Tues - Fri (6-9 Feb)? - We fly out early Sat morning on the 10th...

Started (well, continued really) making lists. This one was the to-do list when we get over.
I think the Weds/Thurs are going to be fairly busy...

Thinking of quickly whipping up a hood and half circle oilskin cloak each this weekend (yay to borrowing a very nice industrial sewing machine). Debating over whether to inset neck hole and I will be evil and not include a lirapipe in the hoods (despite the large body of evidence that I should for hood shape for at least 12th C onwards).

Still having ongoing debate with Z over documentation for half circle cloaks in Viking era - he says yes, I say dodgy.

Extant cloaks:
(From the Surviving Garments database (Search parameters: Date is between 500 and 1400, general class of garment is: Over Garment (e.g., cloak), Secular 26.1.07)
includes:
Garment No.: 356 and 357, 7th c. (based on Farke 2001), Germany, specifically at: Bernuthsfeld, Description: cloak #1 and cloak #2, Mentioned in Jørgensen, Lise Bender. 1986. Forhistoriske textiler i Skandinavien (Prehistoric Scandinavian Textiles). Det Kongelige Nordiske Oldskriftselskab, København. Discussed in this reference at: p.344. One of these is garment 355, wool, Description: rectangular cloak, pieced, unclear if this is #1 or #2 from Farke, Heidemarie. 2001. "A Typical Costume of the North German Iron Age? Some Observations During Conservation of the Bernuthsfeld 'Plaid'" in The Roman Textile Industry and its Influence (Rogers, Penelope Walton, Lise Bender Jørgensen & Antoiette Rast-Eicher eds.). Oxbow Books, Oxford.
And a selection of embridered silk ones from ~11th C onwards (Bamburg Cathedral, Roger of Sicily etc)
Bocksten Man's cloak (half circle, wool)
Links to both and some of the embroidered silk ones found off here.

Z argues for:
Gerumsmanteln
And via Historika Museet (Stockholm) under Shedding new light on the Gerum cloak: Just how old is Sweden's oldest garment? BUT: 360-100 BC.

Mammen Chieftan's Cloak*: Z argues for ties and circular, I say no evidence based on Hald's description of the fragments in Bogs and Burials - ties labeled as Hlad by Hald - not certain if this interpretation is still agreed with. Small embroidered fragment though to be bit of cloak... Half circle or not?

Then sidetracked into discussion of 11-12th C half circles eg Coronation Mantle of Norman Kings in Sicily. In which point I say that yes you may argue for a ceremonial garment evolving from Byzantine/Arab influences, but not for a practical half circle garment in Viking context. In which point Z brings up the Garum cloak and we all get cranky again.

Anyone know of a (preferably) circular or half circular cloak/garment from the Roman/Byzantine times/cultures - other than the Garum one?

This of course ignore the fabric choice - bastardness of oiled fabrics being less likely to survive cause bugs love them, unlikelyness of linen/cotten/hemp to survive in the ground. How close to the "if they had had it thay would have used it" arguement do you wish to get. And the glories of only the best and shiny stuff surviving while everything else

*They had the "standard" (King Cnut?, Copenhagen?) reconstruction in the Viking Exhibit that went through Sydney and Auckland last year.

So, yes, cranky...


So, what would you say? Or would you just duck for cover and step away quietly...

Was supposed to be working on the swag...

Comments

[cataragon.livejournal.com]

Not sure about the banks info, but all gold coins ($1, $2) are still good. All silver coins (50c, 20c and 10c) have changed, and the 5c has been eliminated entirely.

[sandhi.livejournal.com]

I don't know of anything planned for that week but I'm sure a drinkies on the Friday could be arranged if nothing presents itself...

[alpha-angel.livejournal.com]

Only the gold coins are still good. You can still take the others to any bank to be changed I think, it's not quite to the point of having to go to the Reserve Bank in Wellington yet.