Isola Rizza Dish,
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Isola Rizza Dish,
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From Isola Rizza. Museo di Castelvecchio, Verona.
Referenced as figure 90 in The military technology of classical Islam by D Nicolle
90. Silvered dish, Isola Rizza Dish, late 6th-early 7th centuries AD, Byzantine or Lombardo-Byzantine, Castelvecchio Museum, Verona
p.174 Lamellar armour may also have been used in Byzantium in the pre-Islamic era39 (Figs. 90, 91 and 556) but its more widespread adoption after the 7th century clearly reflected Muslim military pressure40 (Figs. 212, 220A, 314, 630 and 637). A smaller but equally common kabadion lamellar cuirass was seen in Byzantium from the 10th century41 (Figs. 227, 242, 249, 314, 414 and 608). This could reflect the changing fashions of eastern Islam, where the lamellar kamaband may have been developed in the 10th century, or it could have been the Byzantine original that stimulated the adoption of this latter Iranian form of armour (Figs. 209, 241, 292, 294, 306, 347, 354, 376, 377, 385, 390, 392, 422, 446, 447 and 641).
39. Haldon, "Some Aspects of Byzantine Military Technology from the 6th to the 10th centuries," p. 20.
40. Ibid., pp. 25-26,29 and 46.
41. Ibid., p 36.
p222 Plumes are easier to pin down. In 10th century Khurāsān they were known as par santīz.59 They are also very common in the pictorial sources. This is particularly true of the eastern regions, both Islamic and non-Islamic, from where the tall helmet plume or feather may have spread west as part of a general adoption of Persian or Central Asian military fashions (Figs. 618, 67, 90, 91, 196, 330, 422, 439, 455, 464, 574 and 651).
59. Firdawsī, op. cit., p. 427
Referenced on p.37, EH - 071 - The Great Islamic Conquests AD 632-750 by David Nicolle
The most realistic illustration of early Byzantine armour is on the 'Isola Rissa Dish', found in northern Italy and dating from the late 6th or early 7th centuries. The horseman wears a plumed segmented helmet and a short-sleeved lamellar cuirass, and he rides without stirrups. The man on foot, vainly trying to protect himself with an oval shield, probably represents a defeated Germanic Goth or Lombard.
Referenced on p.6, The Age of Charlemagne (Men-at-Arms 150) by D.Nicolle, A.McBride
The Isola Rizza Dish. This probably 6th-century Lombardic or Byzantine silver plate shows a warrior wearing lamellar armour and a plumed spangenhelm of obvious Central Asian inspiration. (Castelvecchio Museum, Verona)
