Lorica segmentata from Caerleon

[mcbishop]

And finally...
On her last day with us, Julia has uploaded the last post of her blog.
http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/blog/

An outstanding student and a pleasure to work with, we will really miss her!

Indeed, sterling work on this important find which deserves all our thanks (as, incidentally does the enlightened NMoW policy of blogging the process, the modern equivalent of the few manky photos we had to work with to decipher the Corbridge Hoard unpacking process).

I am slightly intrigued by one of the X-rays producing tantalising hints of plate terminals seen here (much more faintly than the ring, so perhaps only surviving in the ferrous plate and lacking the copper-alloy sheathing seen elsewhere):

which reminds me of finds from other sites:
[attachment=1993]plate_terminals.jpg[/attachment]
It has to be said that the Carlisle Millennium X-rays often promised more than was actually found, even by the most careful examination, so I think mineralised 'ghosts' of features may be all that remains.

Sadly, not the sexiest lorica seg X-ray I have seen. That distinction goes to the Plantation Place rotating animation that the Museum of London produced. Enough to make a grown man whimper... hock:

As to why it has deteriorated so much, better-qualified people than me (Dr Thomas, where are you?!) may tell you it is all to do with the acidity of the soil. Corbridge, also on a well-drained river terrace, is very sandy and consequently iron and steel always suffer there.

Mike Bishop