Roman-era legionary armor restored

GÜMÜŞHANE

A Roman-era legionary armor found during the excavations in the ancient city of Satala in the northern province of Gümüşhane in 2020 has been restored, the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry has announced.

The "Lorica Squamata" model Roman-era legionnaire armor was removed from the ancient city with the contributions of the Ankara Regional Laboratory and moved to the Erzurum Restoration and Conservation Regional Laboratory Directorate in 2021, according to a statement.

During the first documentation phase, the armor, preserved with its soil, was examined with x-ray and tomography at the Erzurum Atatürk University. The exact dimensions and partially metallurgical properties of the armor, which was found to be almost completely intact according to the X-ray results, were determined.

As a result of three years of work by the Erzurum Restoration and Conservation Regional Laboratory, all plates of the armor were coded on-site and its conservation and restoration processes were completed. The armor, which is of great importance as it is the only known example in the world, was re-sewn on a mannequin and brought to its original form.

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that the discovery was fascinating and said, “The Roman legionary armor, found in 2020 in Satala, a historical treasure of Gümüşhane, was restored in three years. The only 'Lorica Squamata' model armor known in the world, which was revived in expert hands at the Erzurum Restoration and Conservation Regional Laboratory, has survived to the present day in almost perfect condition."

"I would like to thank the staff of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums who contributed to this magnificent work, which opens a unique window into the warrior past of the Roman Empire,” he added.