PREVIEW

Researchers have confirmed that the ‘Dendra Armour’ was suitable for active warfare. The 3,500-year-old Ancient Greek bronze armour, one of the most complete examples of Mycenaean-era full-body armour, was originally discovered in the 1960s in a tomb in the Greek village of Dendra by Greek and Swedish archaeologists. However, they were baffled as to its use - wondering if it was for battle or merely ceremonial. Now, an international team of researchers, led by Professor Andreas Flouris from the University of Thessaly, has now addressed this question through a series of rigorous tests. Using a metal replica of the Dendra armour, created in the 1980s by Bournville College of Art in Birmingham, UK. Greek military volunteers participated in an 11-hour simulation of Bronze Age combat protocols based on Homer's Iliad. "The armour that our volunteers wore was the same dimensions and similar weight to the Bronze Age original," explained Professor Flouris. "We monitored calorie intake based on a 'Homeric diet' (about 4,443 calories) and measured heart rate, oxygen consumption, core temperature, fluid loss, and muscular function during the simulation". The study found that the armour allowed full flexibility of movement and did not exert excessive physiological stress on the body. The research indicates that the Mycenaeans' powerful impact in the Eastern Mediterranean was partly due to this amazing armour technology -transforming the prehistoric world.