FEBRUARY RELEASE 𐍈 13th century Mounted Prussian Warriors, Prussian Archers and Baltic Leather Tanners

Hi all, the February release is here and it focuses on the Prussian tribes: 

The Prussians, also known as Baltic Prussians or Old Prussians, were a tribe within the Baltic peoples who inhabited the region of Prussia along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, situated between the Vistula Lagoon to the west and the Curonian Lagoon to the east. They spoke an Indo-European language called Old Prussian and practiced pre-Christian religious beliefs. 

The initial attempts to conquer and convert the Baltic tribes, including the Old Prussians, were made by the duchy of the Polans under Mieszko I, the precursor to the Kingdom of Poland, during the 10th century. However, these efforts were met with staunch resistance.

In Baltic society, the smallest social unit was the laūks, roughly translated as "field" in Old Prussian. These were small family-oriented settlements surrounded by fields, often separated from each other by forested or marshy areas. The word "laūks" appears in various Baltic settlement names, especially in Curonian, and is reflected in Old Prussian place names like Stablack (stone field). A laūks typically comprised a group of farms with shared economic interests and security concerns, governed by a household head and centered around strongholds or hill forts.

Political and territorial organizations called "terrula" existed in the early 13th century in the territories that later formed Prussia, Latvia, and Lithuania. These units, covering up to 300 km² and housing up to 2,000 inhabitants, comprised several laukses. However, unlike other regions, the Baltic tribes in Prussia lacked a common political or territorial organization, resulting in a lack of unified ethnic or national identity. Instead, they identified with regional names like Galindians, Sambians, and others.

The release includes:

• 13th century Mounted Prussian Warriors modular kit:

10 separate riders

10 separate horses

2 separate shields

1 separate lance

Historical sources are scarce for any of the Baltic states in the 13th century, but there are some points we can take into consideration while designing some of their equipment: for example, we know that the baltic region experienced influences from Russia and from the Eastern steppes that weren't felt in other parts of Europe. 

Between 1100 and 1300, armor in the southern and eastern Baltic regions predominantly consisted of maille shirts, much like in Scandinavia during the same era. However, there was also a notable usage of scale armor, which involved small metal scales sewn onto a base layer of leather or multiple layers of cloth. Additionally, padded soft armors resembling gambesons were present.

Helmets in the region were generally similar to those found in Scandinavia, although there were distinct local or eastern variations, for example round dome helmets or helmets with a pointed top. Attaching a mail aventail to the helmet's rim for added protection was common practice, and mail coifs were also utilized. However, mail leggings were not as popular in this area, possibly due to influences from the equestrian cultures of the East, which may have discouraged items hindering horsemanship.

Shields initially resembled the round type used in Scandinavia but became smaller and without central bosses. Construction methods likely mirrored those elsewhere, involving wooden boards covered with layers of leather, parchment, or occasionally fur, with a rim reinforcement to prevent splitting. The shield exteriors were often painted with designs or colors, although archaeological evidence on their construction methods in the Baltic region remains limited.

• 13th century Prussian Archers:

10 Prussian Archers

The bow held significant importance in the Baltic regions, particularly among the hunting communities in these less populated areas. It served as both a weapon of war and a tool for survival in challenging climates. Unlike Scandinavia or Continental Europe though, the crossbow didn't gain as much popularity here among the locals. Though not well-represented in the archaeological record, it's likely that Baltic bows were similar to those used on the other side of the sea. However, variations in size and weight may have existed: while longbows were known in Europe since the early Bronze Age, smaller bows were probably preferred for hunting in dense forests due to their easier handling.

• Baltic leather tanners scenic kit:

4 baltic leather tanners

1 leather tanning rack

1 leather tanning log

1 leather tanning vat

As hunting was a primary form of sustenance in the medieval Baltic region, tanning was a common profession: tanners were craftsmen skilled in preparing and treating animal skins, in turn providing them to cobblers, saddlers, and other artisans for making various items like footwear, garments, bags, and wineskins.

Though necessary, tanning was an unpleasant job. It involved quickly removing fat from the skin and preserving it to prevent decay, often done by soaking it in urine. Due to the unpleasant smells, tanners typically worked on the outskirts of towns, grouped with other marginalized professions.

To turn raw hide into usable material, the hide was soaked, cleaned, and treated to remove any remaining tissue and fur. Tanning methods varied, but typically involved the use of alum, fish oil, or tannins from tree bark. Throughout the process, the hide softened, resisted decay, and could be dyed. Finally, the hides were submerged in vats of urine for weeks, dried, and finished as needed.

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DOWNLOAD HERE (IMPORTANT: Download the .RAR files one by one , DON'T right click on the whole "Black Knight Miniatures Release" folder and   hit download, otherwise Google Drive could mess up the file structure)

Everything comes, as always, both Pre-Supported and Unsupported in 28mm scale.

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Let me know what you think about this month's release, and if you want please leave a comment if you have any ideas on what we could do next. Also, if you didn't already, I would be thankful if you were to follow our Facebook page since we're trying to grow it a bit.