The only example in the world is in Turkey: 1,500-year-old Roman armor restored

It was noted that the armor belongs to the Squamata model and holds great significance as the first known example of this model.

The Ministry stated that the Roman armor, which was brought to the Erzurum Restoration and Conservation Regional Laboratory Directorate in 2021 and preserved with its soil during the initial documentation phase, was examined using X-ray and tomography at Atatürk University in Erzurum.

'SUCH ARMOR RARELY SURVIVES TO THE PRESENT DAY'

In the statement, which noted that the X-ray results showed it was almost entirely intact, the following expressions were included:

"Thanks to micro-CT imaging of a 3-plate block taken from the edges of the armor, which was understood to be almost entirely intact according to the X-ray results, its exact dimensions and partial metallurgical properties were determined. As a result of meticulous work lasting 3 years at the Erzurum Restoration and Conservation Regional Laboratory, all plates of the armor were coded in situ, and conservation and restoration processes were completed.

The armor was re-stitched onto a mannequin, restored to its original form, and stood upright. In the Roman period, legionary armor was not custom-made; it was repaired and reused when necessary, and when damaged beyond repair, it was melted down and turned into other materials. For this reason, such armor rarely survives to the present day."

News Source: İHA