Categories

Ads
1,800-YEAR-OLD ROMAN FACE MASK FOUND IN TURKEY
Share this:

Discovery indicates that the Roman Empire had influence in the region.

While excavating a fortified structure in the ancient city of Adrianople, present-day Eskipazar, in north-central Turkey, researchers found an iron face mask that may have been worn by a gifted member of the Roman cavalry some 1,800 years ago.

According to archaeologists from the University of Karabük, the find indicates that the Roman Empire influenced the region around the 3rd century AD It is believed that Adrianople was inhabited between the 1st and 8th centuries.

The region has been explored by researchers since 2003, who have discovered around 14 structures, including stone tombs, a village, a theater, toilets, two churches, and the fortified building in which the mask was found, explains the Daily Mail.

“We calculate, from the building’s fortification wall, that it is a military structure. An iron mask was discovered during excavations here,” said Ersin Çelikbaş, an archaeologist leading the research.

“The history of the inner territories of the western Black Sea region has not yet been fully elucidated,” says Çelikbaş. “We continue to illuminate the region’s history with our studies.”

During our excavations, we arrived at important data that show the existence of the Roman Empire in the region”, he continues.

The archaeological team even reported that it is likely that a Roman garrison had a military base in Adrianople. “Rome planned to defend itself at the edge [of its empire] by building bases against all kinds of dangers that could come from the Black Sea region to its territory’, reveals the archaeologist. “’We think Adrianopolis is one of those defensive military cities”.

“The [mask] belongs to the imperial period. It is very likely — when we look at similar examples and [the stratigraphic location of the find] — that it belongs to the 3rd century AD.”

The excavations are not over yet. According to archaeologists, small finds will be taken to museums in neighboring provinces, while larger, immovable finds will be preserved where they were unearthed.

Source: with agencies

Share this:
Comments
All comments.
Comments