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Timber Frame Seige Tower

Timber framers Al Cobb (West Virginia) and Jordon Finch teamed up with fellow ancient technologists to build a timber frame medieval siege tower for the DISCOVERY Channel's "Super Weapons of the Ancient World." ((Jordan is in red and Al in gray in the photo at right.)

Entitled "The City Destroyer," the show documents how a small team of timber framers, engineers, and local tradesmen constructed a very tall timber frame seige tower in a week in Morocco. From the Discovery Channel site: "The early 4th century saw the creation of a mobile armor-plated siege tower armed with the world's first catapults. This team of builders must recreate a 40-foot high "City Destroyer." Will they get the job done and defeat a local "enemy"?

Paul Denney of Artefacts (U.K.) also contributed his extensive expertise on catapults. (Those of you who particpated in the Scotland trebuchet project will remember Paul.)

The episode aired on February 9 and again on February 13. Check your local listings or the DISCOVERY Channel's website for scheduling in your area.

Photo credit: Al Cobb

The 40' timber frame seige tower ready to be tested.

One of the wheels.

Another view of the tower.