91Èȱ¬

This Roman leather panel from the collection of the Hunterian Museum was selected by Louisa Hammersley, postgraduate student at the Department of Archaeology, University of Glasgow. Louisa writes - It is extremely unusual for leather to survive the harsh conditions and acidic soils of Scotland and these leather fragments have been so well preserved that the stitches holding several parts together are still clearly visible. It is thought that this panel was originally part of a Roman shield, as indicated by the curved edges and central indentation where a shield boss could have been originally placed. Shields would have been an essential element of the military kits of all Roman soldiers in order to defend themselves against enemy attacks. I chose this object because it once belonged to an individual and I can imagine it would have meant a great deal to its owner, perhaps saving his life more than once.