BOLTON, ENGLAND—The Bolton News reports that an exceedingly rare, once decrepit ancient Roman sun hat has recently been brought back to life thanks to the work of skilled conservators and is set to go on public display for the first time at England’s Bolton Museum. The woolen cap is only one of three similar Roman headpieces known to still survive. It dates to around a.d. 200 and was likely made for a member of the Roman military who was stationed in Egypt following Rome’s conquest of the territory in the first century b.c. Although it resembles other contemporary Roman hats in appearance, this one had been slightly altered to better protect the wearer against Egypt’s intense heat and sandstorms. The piece was donated to Bolton’s now-demolished Chadwick Museum in 1911 by world-renowned archaeologist Sir Flinders Petrie. It subsequently fell into the collection of the Bolton Museum, but after sitting in storage for decades had become severely damaged by moths. However, textile conservator Jacqui Hyman was able to carefully restore it to its original appearance. “Suddenly, a flat, fragile, boxed item had come to life,” she said. “This hat was made to be worn, but if only it could talk and tell us who made it and who wore it.” To read about Roman military boots found at the site of Vindolanda along Hadrian's Wall, go to "The Wall at the End of the Empire: Life on the Frontier."
