The early Franks and stripey clothing

[Erpingham]

Nice spot David. I'd forgotten him.  Note he has acquired the lionskin cloak and headress from figure no.4. Where Frankish infantry sourced their lion skins is another mystery 

I have researched further and believe we can identify the miniskirt as made from the skin of a spotted sheep. Current European spotted sheep are a modern variety but there may have been a medieval ancestor.

[Duncan Head]

Nice spot David. I'd forgotten him.  Note he has acquired the lionskin cloak and headress from figure no.4. Where Frankish infantry sourced their lion skins is another mystery 

I've always assumed it was wolfskin - figure 4's is grey. He's obviously had a Byzantine Greek POW reading Polybios to him and thinks he's a Republican veles.

[Erpingham]

I've always assumed it was wolfskin

More logical, though I would note wolves have pointed snouts, which this doesn't. Why might also note the Saxtorph version of No. 4 (labelled a Burgundian) has a brown skin, which brings a bear in as a possibility. Other than velite re-enactment, do we have any evidence for Franks having animal headdresses? Or, like the winged helmets 19th century illustrators wish on all manner of barbarians, is this a piece of Romantic dreaming?

[Imperial Dave]

Thanks both....I may resist the temptation to do too much funky colouring