Hi I'm trying to start up a germanic tribesman kit around 1 A.D. I'm starting from scratch right now and looking to get a basic spear and shield. I think I could make the shield myself but unfortunately I can't make a spearhead. Does anyone know where I could buy one that would be appropriate around my time period? Thanks in advance!

I don't know what forms would be appropriate for you, but this one is pretty generic. The form was used from ancient times through the 16th c. I have this one and I'm very impressed with it. I'm impressed with the price, too. I'll be finishing mine in late 15th c. style.

http://www.therionarms.com/reenact/therionarms_c1045.html

Out of curiosity what would be the average price for a basic custom spearhead?

Search for "Pikula" on this site and you'll find a thread about his beautiful custom work.

The spearhead above is a nice one, but the wrong shape for the so called period B1, or B1a if you want to be more precise.

Germanic spearheads had a sharper pronounced central rip. The socket was made in a way barely big enough to admit a thumb (Ok, my thumb, I don't know yours. ;) ).
From the few that were examined for their composition we know that they were made on two layers of steel welded together, but this is a detail you won't see.

The only finds that come to my mind right now are from the finds in Vimose 1, but those date to the beginning of period B2, which starts around 70 AD.

I could of course scan a few pictures of those if you want. I may even have pictures from spear heads closer to 1AD. I'll have to look it up.

Before i explain the promised pictures let me give you a book recommendation.

Quote:

The spoils of victory: the North in the shadow of the Roman Empire

It is the catalogue of a temporary exhibit at the Danish national museum. If you are lucky you might be able to find a copy on the internet. It contains articles about the great bog finds in Scandinavia. Since those were mostly weapon offerings, it all revolves about germanic weaponry, but not just those...

Another book is more for the collector type.

Quote:

Sønderjyske of Fynske Mosefund. Bind I - III, Thorsbjerg Mosefund, Nydam Mosefund, Kragehul og Vimosefundene.

A compendium of books written by Conrad Engelhardt from 1863 to 1869, the reprint is from 1969.
If you can get a copy grab it. It is in Danish, but the drawings in there are just a must have. One of the following pictures is taken from this book. :)

Ok, now the pictures:

The first one shows a lance head from a grave find dating very close to the beginning of period B1a. The picture is taken from "The spoils of victory: the North in the shadow of the Roman Empire".
Notice that the central rip is not in place yet.

The second one is the one from Engelhardts book. Just drawings, but really detailed.
It shows various types of lances and spears with different datings, but you notice the similarities, like the mentioned central rip and the really small socket.

The third one shows different types of spear/lance-heads and how they date.
Most interesting for you should be the first half of square one, that is period B1a.
The picture was taken from a book by Jørgen Ilkjaer "Illerup Ådal Band 2. Die Lanzen und Speere.". Also a nice book to have, but the expense might be a little to much for the average reenactor.

I hope this helps.
Sorry I couldn't supply you with a name of a supplier, but I think some liked M. Pikula should be able to make one of these.
I failed miserably when trying to form the central rip using germanic forging methods.
Well, at least I learned a lot. ;)

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The forum keeps mixing up my pictures with every preview, but I am sure you'll be able to figure out which is which.

I noticed that the list did sort them reversed, but the display was not in the order I uploaded them.
My feeling was, that it sorted them by size, smallest pic first and so on.

... of course I may be wrong. ;)