"Ship's Prow Tortoise" #3

"Ship's Prow Tortoise" #2

This picture shows the Tortoise lying on it's side showing the four wheels, two axles, and the brace timber.

"Ship's Prow Tortoise" #1

This is a picture of the Tortoise upside down showing the four wheels which enabled the workers in the field to move the tortoise around.  This siege machine was used to protect workers, on a slope, from materials that might have been rolled down the slope such as barrels, logs, etc.  The Tortoise had two iron plates on the sharp end of the prow to shunt aside any burning materials such a a wagon load of hay, a flaming barel of oil, etc.  The sharp end of the Tortoise (prow) was always pointed up-slope and the large timber in the middle was the brace that held the tortoise in place.  The center brace and both ends of the tortoise were held in place by heavy stakes pounded deep into the grond.

Ballista and Bolts #2

Ballista and Bolts

This is a model of the Greek -- Roman portable Ballista.  This was an element of artillery
 in the ancient and classical armies.  The two wing-like extensions are the ends of the
 bow and the bow string is drawn back along the tal end of the machine.  The tension is
provided by skiens of horse hair and silk loops twisted  which perform the project of the
heavy dart.  This model can shoot a dart in a shallow ark for a distince of approximently
 35 feet.

Onager - from above

In this picture you can see the two twisted skiens (white) and the
upright locking rod which holds the onager in the loaded position.
The firing trigger is the small green and white rod  extending from
 the bottom of the weapon base.

Onager -- (Catapult) Locked and Loaded

Onager (Catapult)
The Onager was used to throw rocks against a castle or fortification wall.   The
orange arm  is propelled by two loops of twisted skiens which when twisted
 tightly will eturn the arm and its ball rapidly against the upright and its
cushion.   This model which is about 9" long will catapult the wooden ball
about 25-30 feet