Bolton Museum displays rare Roman sun hat following restoration - BBC News https://share.google/kRdzykuc91rBXBz9f
Very interesting although could it double as a helmet liner too?
That is interesting - and remarkable that it has survived. Looks like a Boeotian helmet in shape. I wonder if, like Englishmen, they went out in the midday sun?
I wonder on what basis they assume Roman rather than Ptolomaic? Very specific provenance?
You mean that in ancient times the sun actually shone in Bolton?
:P
steady on sir....
Quote from: DBS on Aug 15, 2025, 10:33 AMI wonder on what basis they assume Roman rather than Ptolomaic? Very specific provenance?
The catalogue entry is here https://boltonsegypt.co.uk/object/ancient-egyptian-textile-fragment-from-illahun-dated-ad-395-642-6/
Quote from: Erpingham on Aug 15, 2025, 01:53 PMQuote from: DBS on Aug 15, 2025, 10:33 AMI wonder on what basis they assume Roman rather than Ptolomaic? Very specific provenance?
The catalogue entry is here https://boltonsegypt.co.uk/object/ancient-egyptian-textile-fragment-from-illahun-dated-ad-395-642-6/
So that suggests a very late fourth to mid seventh century AD date, yet the Beeb quotes the museum as reckoning 30BC... :o
Bless.
Just realised - given the range extends to seventh century AD, could it be a Sasanian sun hat? 8)
There's a very similar hat in Sumner's Roman Military Dress, also from Egypt.
The Textiles and War book that Adrian Nayler just linked to - free download from https://www.archaeopress.com/Archaeopress/Products/9781805830801 - mentions Romano-Egyptian felt hats as possible helmet liners on pp.43-45. However the Bolton example does seem to have a more prominent brim than any of these.
I did wonder as alluded to whether its just a helmet liner that has a dual purpose...