[GubernatorFan]

For the first set, please see Theseus and the Minotaur.

As in the previous set, I was experimenting with 1/6 scale apparel and equipment from the Greek ("Mycenaean") Bronze Age. And since there is no shortage of Henry Cavill head sculpts, I stuck to the Theseus theme. I recreated a couple of relatively simple Mycenaean warrior looks (with tunics, daggers, baldrics, boar-tusk helmets) from some badly damaged (but ambitiously restored) frescoes from the palace at Pylos, and arranged some of them into a mini photo essay loosely inspired by part of the myth of Theseus.

It goes something like this: Theseus and his best friend Peirithoos agreed to help each other steel a pretty and noble wife. Peirithoos helped Theseus steal Helen from Sparta (the same one who later launched a thousand ships, having caused the Trojan War); in exchange, Theseus agreed to help Peirithoos steal Kore, the daughter of the Molossian king Aidoneus. Although they made their way to the Molossians and were at first received by the king, Theseus and Peirithoos were eventually imprisoned by Aidoneus. While Theseus was later freed by his cousin Herakles (Hercules), Peirithoos remained a captive or was executed. (Another version of the myth is that Aidonesu was none other than the god Hades, and Kore was Hades' wife Persephone -- scholars argue which is the original version of the story, and which is a secondary rationalization or elaboration.)

Hope you like.

(Below) Theseus, based on a Pylian spearman (compare HERE)

The next images are based on the "river battle" fresco from Pylos, which you can see HERE. The light and focus are substandard, as I was trying to avoid too much glare from the background.

(Below) Theseus and Peirithoos trying to sneak into Molossia across the Akheron...

(Below) ... when they hear something behind them...

(Below) ... En garde! It's scruffy fur-clad Molossians (how barbarous!)! ...

(Below) ... How come they wear animal furs and yet have the most advanced Bronze-Age daggers? Oh well, bring it! ...

(Below) ... just one more left ...

The Players:
Theseus and Peirithoos

Random fur-clad barbarians

 

[abake]

Thanks for pointing me towards this thread, had't seen it.

Looks like a fun project. If I may be so bold as to give some constructive criticism, I'd recommend some weathering and a bit of water treatment to the garments. As it is, they look a bit stiff, and a bit too pristine.

Pretty cool though, to see how they portrayed their heroes!

 

[GubernatorFan]

Hi abake. Thank you. And you are right, this would have looked a lot better if I had done some weathering and water treatment (would that work on micro-suede?). To be honest I wasn't thinking of this as a set project, but was just experimenting with making some 1/6-scale Bronze-Age equipment. And even in the best of cases, my customs would never come close to the beautifully grimy pieces I have seen on this site, because I will almost always shrink back from making any kind of permanent change to the precious and expensive action figures and accessories, lest that ruins them or prevents further customization, kitbashing, or posability.

 

[shazzdan]

The only Bronze Age item I've made is a Ewart Park Sword.

 

[shazzdan]

and some Chinese spears

 

[pukingdog]

Unexpected and intriguing stuff, GF! The realm of the unusual is yours, and you provide not only the figures, but the stories which bear repeating. You get a lot out of a little as well, with your staging.

 

[GubernatorFan]

Thanks guys.
@shazzdan - that's a great looking sword. How did you make it. Mine were a pain to make, since I used air-drying clay. To keep them from bending while drying (because they are so very thin, yet relatively long), I could only really sculpt them on one side. And given the size of the thing, it was very difficult to make it look right. I also saw and liked your customization of these arrows(?) as spears in an earlier post.
@pukingdog - thank you kindly! Still, the story was hardly elaborate, just a way of rationalizing the connection between the images.

 

[shazzdan]

The sword was made in a similar manner to the originals. The blade was cut from a piece of bronze, ground to shape, and then polished. The grip was made from hardwood, the pommel was made separately and glued in place, and the rivets are real. It took a whole day to make it.

Here is a tutorial showing a machete being made in a similar fashion.

Machete progress pics

 

[Efbee]

They look excellent mate,really digging the Helms in particular.Most impressed by you forging your own Weapons as well.

 

[GubernatorFan]

Thank you guys.
@shazzdan for the explanation of the painfully intricate sword construction (color me impressed)
and
@Efbee for the kind words. The helmets were a challenge and, objectively speaking, not an unqualified success. The first one I made (not shown) is probably the most accurate but it turned out so tall it might as well have fitted a conehead (like Dan Aykroyd... or Perikles). The second one (on Theseus) came out a bit better, but the third one (on Peirithoos) was a failed experiment (the different application of layers left them too thick). But they do convey the basic idea. As for the weapons, well there isn't much to choose from, so self-made it was. But they are props rather than replicas, not nearly as accurate (and two sided) as what shazz's tutorial shows.

 

[Ephiane]

Great Figures and fight scene !

 

[GubernatorFan]

Thank you so much!

 

[shovelchop81]

Having grown up in Greece I'm familiar with the boar tusk helmets, nice to see them in 1/6! :bravo

 

[GubernatorFan]

Thanks shovelchop81! Born in Ireland, grown-up in Greece, and living in Wales? Ain't you one for the lands of legends! Cheers!

 

[JohnByng]

Really nice! The kilts are a bit shorter in the originals but I can understand why you did them as you did! Great looking figures!

 

[GubernatorFan]

Thanks JohnByng! Not sure I paid enough attention to the kilt length (just eyeballed it), but in at least one case I think it simply slipped down further than it was supposed to.