Museum historians believe that this headpiece was crafted around 30 B.C. Such hats were worn by Roman soldiers in following the death of Queen VII, when it was conquered by the Roman Empire.
The hat, made from a fabric similar to felt, was designed to protect legionnaires from the scorching sun and sandstorms of the Egyptian desert.
The revival of this artifact is incredibly significant. According to researchers, only three such headpieces remain in the world. The second is part of the collection at the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester, while the third is housed in a museum in Florence, Italy.
A Rare Find
This intriguing exhibit has been preserved at the Bolton Museum for over a century. Its restoration was made possible thanks to a private donation, as reported by BBC.
Restorer Jackie Hyman noted that when a hat resembling a warm sun hat out of the box, it was flat and damaged by moths. Due to the fragility of the artifact, the team had to handle it with extreme care.
“If the hat could talk, it would tell us who made it and who wore it,” Ms. Hyman said.
This extravagant headpiece of a Roman soldier was donated to the Chadwick Museum in Bolton in 1911 by English archaeologist Sir William Flinders Petrie, often referred to as “the man who discovered Egypt.” Later, the hat became part of the Bolton Museum, where it is now being exhibited for the first time after restoration. Notably, the restoration was funded by Ritherdon, a manufacturer of electrical goods based in Darwen, England.
The Bolton Museum takes pride in its world-renowned collection of over 12,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts.