Rare Roman suit of armour found at Caerleon dig

[Melvadius]

Another article about the recent excavations at Caerleon (original link lost during the recent upgrade so repeated below) has slipped almost unnoticed onto the BBC website.

 

I'm not sure that I would go as far as saying that they have really found a 'suit' of armour but it does look like the arcaheologists at Caerleion have found several large section of another set of lorica Segmentata in this BBC article and associated video discussing the find.

 

It will be interesting, once the pieces has been conserved, to see which of the known variants of lorica sementata theya re most closely associatable with. BTW Unless it is the impressions of someones boot print in the mud I suspect that there may also be some fragments of lorica squamata just about visible in top left hand corner of the 'freeze frame' at the start of the video.

 

Archaeologists digging at a site in south Wales have uncovered an entire suit of Roman armour and some weapons.

 

The rare discovery was made during an excavation at the fortress of Caerleon in south Wales, one of Britain's best known Roman sites.

 

Dig leader Dr Peter Guest of Cardiff University said the suit was only the third or fourth to be found in the UK, and the first in Wales.

 

"It's very important for the study of Roman Britain," he said.

 

Dr Guest, senior lecturer in Roman archaeology at Cardiff's school of history, archaeology and religion, explained that a number of objects were first spotted last week on top of a floor in one room of a warehouse on the Priory Field site.

...continued

 

The earlier article and associated video

 

Major buildings find at Roman fortress of Caerleon

 

Archaeologists have discovered several large buildings at the fortress of Caerleon in south Wales, one of Britain's best known Roman sites.

 

The major discovery was made by chance by students learning to use geophysical equipment.

 

Cardiff University's Peter Guest said the find was "totally unexpected" .

 

It is possible the buildings, which may include baths and temples, are first evidence of Roman plans to develop Caerleon into a major settlement.

 

Caerleon (Isca), which dates from AD 75, is one of three permanent legionary fortresses in the UK, and was used for 200 years. The others at Chester and York - are mostly buried and difficult to excavate.

 

...continued

[GhostOfClayton]

Now I know they showed a replica Lorica Segmentata for comparriosn, but is it just my eyesight? Can I see scales in the picture (before you press play on the video - just to the right of the 2608)? Was it actually a Lorica Squamata? Comment welcomed from younger contributors, or those who remembered their reading specs.

[Melvadius]

Now I know they showed a replica Lorica Segmentata for comparriosn, but is it just my eyesight? Can I see scales in the picture (before you press play on the video - just to the right of the 2608)? Was it actually a Lorica Squamata? Comment welcomed from younger contributors, or those who remembered their reading specs.

 

That is definately the impression I got, which is why I mentioned it in my posting above, in addition Dr Guest also starts to mention 'scale' [armour] before changing what he was about to say part-way into the video.

 

When I use my home PC I can change the screen magnification up to 400% to try and get a closer look but don't have the same facility at work.

 

However if you cannot change your screen resolution try highlighting the image and use 'ctrl-C' to copy it and then put it into another package such as Word by using 'ctrl-V' where you may be able to manipulate it larger.

[GhostOfClayton]

That is definately the impression I got, which is why I mentioned it in my posting above,

 

Sorry, didn't notice that. I read the italics as 'segmentata' (lack of specs coming into play again).

Edited September 16, 2010 by GhostOfClayton

[Melvadius]

Sorry, didn't notice that. I read the italics as 'segmentata' (lack of specs coming into play again).

 

No problem I know the feeling which is why I experimented with larger views myself

 

Physorg is now carrying a short related piece on the story which contains a couple of additional details the most relevant of which for this discussion is as follows:

 

.....It

[Melvadius]

[Addenda]

 

I have just found the Caerleon excavation website which is well worth a look, even if the excavatison and tours are now over for the year, with lots of photographs showing the excavations in progress and a few additional detail not mentioned in the various reports that are now circulating:

 

Archaeology at CAERLEON 2010 - The Priory Field Dig

 

Unfortunately for those of us with less than perfect sight the pictures are not necessarily much bigger than appear elsewhere but there are lots more of them

 

BTW apparently between 30-31 October Cardiff's School of History and Archaeology will host a two-day conference focusing on the Roman legacy in Wales as part of the AD 410 Romans Go Home celebrations .