I was talking to someone on another forum, and said that the Dura Europos scutum had gone missing. Afterwards, I wasn't sure any more if that shield were one and the same with the Fayum scutum. So,
These two shields are different ones, yes?
The D. Europos scutum is lost somewhere. When did that happen? Before WW2?
They are different, yes - the Fayum scutum was found in Egypt, the Dura one(s) in Syria. Actually there were quite a number of them found at Dura, although most in a pretty poor state of repair I think.
I don't know about any of them going missing though...
The "Fayum" one went missing for a while, and recently turned up in the Cairo Police museum. The Tower 19 Dura one has always been in the Yale university art gallery (although it is not currently on permanent display).
The "Tower 19" rectangular scutum that we all know and love from Dura Eurpos is currently on display at Boston College, Boston MA at the McMullen Art Museum. The exhibit "Pathways to Antiquity" will end June 5, 2010.
There is a lovely catalog featuring most of the displayed artifacts that is available, both in the BC Bookstore and online. It has photos of the shield, as well.
From what I know, in 2011 Yale U. will open it's permanent exhibit of D.E. artifacts and finds, although if the shield will be a part of that display I do not yet know.
The caption of the shield at BC states that the shield was discovered in tower 19, but was crushed. It was "reconstructed" with some "modern" reproductions and paint, but as to what level of detail was not mentioned.
Andy Volpe
"Build a time machine, it would make this [hobby] a lot easier." https://www.facebook.com/LegionIIICyr/
Legion III Cyrenaica ~ New England U.S.
Higgins Armory Museum 1931-2013 (worked there 2001-2013)
(Collection moved to Worcester Art Museum)
I posted the Dura exhibit a year ago.(little fanfare) The tower 19 shield was part of the just ended exhibit. I've seen pre and post photos of the shield and from what I could glean there was minimal structural repair and only moderate paint touch up. Lisa Brody is the curator and is quite approachable. I understand a permanent exhibit at Yale is planned for 2012.
Wow those shields are in amazing shape given they are 2000 years old. What conditions was the in Dura shield exposed to that allowed it survive in such good condition that even the paint remained?
Because of the dry desert conditions of the area. Dura Europos is near the Syrian desert, so a perfect spot to bury wooden artifacts for hundreds of years. As long as you cut oxygen to a minimum (like in a bog), or somehow prevent water from decaying the wood, you can make amazing finds such as these!