Would you wear this Mycenaean Dendra armour into battle? This is the question scholars asked when the Mycenaean Dendra armour was excavated from a tholos tomb in the Mycenaean cemetery of Dendra, Greece. Scholars thought the suit of armour was so cumbersome that they weren’t sure if it was for fighting or ceremonial purposes. The Dendra armour is the most complete known Mycenaean bronze suit of armour. Dated at between 1500 to 1180 BC, it is housed at the Nafplion National Archaeological Museum, Greece.
Professor Andreas Flouris, from the University of Thessaly, decided to try and find out if the armour was suitable for battle by building a replica of the Mycenaean Dendra armour, and getting volunteers to try it out. Professor Andreas Flouris explains:
“The armour that our volunteers wore was the same dimensions and similar weight to the Bronze Age original. We also monitored calorie intake based on a ‘Homeric diet’ (about 4,443 calories) derived from relevant descriptions found in the Iliad, and calorie expenditure together with the stresses placed on the volunteers’ bodies under temperatures typical for a Greek summer of 30-36 degrees Celsius. When the 11-hour battle protocol began we measured heart rate, oxygen consumption, core temperature, fluid loss, and muscular function.”
The results of the experiment showed that the Mycenaean Dendra armour was fit for purpose, and could be worn for extended periods. It also had enough flexibility for the warriors in battle conditions. Dr Ken Wardle, University of Birmingham commented:
“Viewing the armour in light of these historical records, knowing that it is possible it was used in battle, helps to shed much-needed light on one of history’s most momentous turning points: the collapse of the Eastern Mediterranean Bronze Age civilisations towards the end of the 2nd Millennium BC; a time of destruction and upheaval that marked the beginning of the Age of Iron.”
What a great example of archaeology in action. Thanks to the researchers and above all the volunteers.
See More Photos & Further Reading
View more photos of Mycenaean weapons at: MuseoPics Mycenaean Weapons & Armour
Read more about the Mycenaean Dendra armour experiment on Birmingham University site
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