Ancient Roman legionary armor restored after 3-year effort in Türkiye | Partners | Belarus News | Belarusian news | Belarus today | news in Belarus | Minsk news | BELTA
ANKARA, 20 June (BelTA — Anadolu) — The Turkish Ministry of Culture and
Tourism announced the completion of the restoration of a unique «Lorica
Squamata» armor from the Late Roman Period, discovered in northeast
Türkiye.
This Roman legionary armor, the only known example of
its kind in the world, was found during the 2020 excavation in the
ancient city of Satala in Gumushane province. The significance of the
«Lorica Squamata» model lies in its uniqueness as the sole known
specimen globally.
In 2021, the scale armor was transported to
the Erzurum Regional Directorate of Restoration and Conservation
Laboratory. It was initially preserved with its surrounding soil for
documentation. Detailed examinations, including X-rays and tomography,
were conducted at Erzurum Ataturk University.
X-ray results
revealed that almost the entire armor was intact. Micro CT imaging of a
three-plate block taken from the edges helped determine the armor’s full
measurements and partial metallurgical properties.
After three
years of meticulous work by the Erzurum Regional Directorate of
Restoration and Conservation Laboratory, the conservation and
restoration processes were completed. The armor was then resewn,
returning it to its original form.
Highlighting the achievement,
Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said: «The
‘Lorica Squamata’ model armor, revived by expert hands at the Erzurum
Regional Directorate of Restoration and Conservation Laboratory, has
reached us almost perfectly preserved.»
Ersoy also extended his
gratitude to those who contributed to “the excavation of this
magnificent artifact, which opens a unique window into the warrior past
of the Roman Empire.»
