The Bronze Age armor set was robust enough to protect a Mycenaean warrior in battle 3,500 years ago, according to research published on May 22 in the journal PLOS One.
Researchers utilized a replica of the armor discovered in 1960 in Dendra, a village near the area that was once the ancient Greek city of Mycenae, and enlisted 13 navy personnel from the Greek army to test its durability.
Volunteers wearing a replica of Dendra armor. (Image: Greek Reporter)
For decades, archaeologists have wondered whether the armor, which includes a helmet adorned with boar tusks and a breastplate made of multiple bronze pieces, was sturdy enough for combat. “Since its discovery, the question that has persisted is whether the armor was used solely for ceremonial purposes or in battle,” said Andreas Flouris, the lead researcher and a professor of physiology at the University of Thessaly in Greece. “The Dendra armor is considered one of the most complete sets of armor from the Bronze Age in Europe.”
To address this question, the research team outfitted volunteers with replicas of the armor and weapons, including spears and stones, and had them complete an 11-hour simulated Bronze Age battle based on historical descriptions from the famous Iliad by the Greek poet Homer, which recounts the Trojan War.
“We distilled the necessary information to create a simulation of the late Bronze Age battle, mimicking the daily activities performed by warriors. We then used paleoclimate data to recreate the environmental conditions of late Bronze Age Troy,” Flouris and his colleagues explained.
The study found that temperatures in the region during the late Bronze Age were around 18 to 20 degrees Celsius, with annual humidity levels ranging from 70 to 80%. The researchers created the armor replica using a mix of gold-plated metals, including copper and zinc, mirroring the original materials as closely as possible. The replica was accurately sized to match the ancient armor’s curves and holes, weighing 23 kg upon completion. In addition to the simulated armor, the volunteers followed a diet similar to that of Mycenaean warriors before battle, which included bread, beef, goat cheese, green olives, onions, and red wine.
During the experiment, the volunteers engaged in various encounters, including one-on-one sword fights, chariot battles, and ranged attacks. The armor did not restrict fighting capabilities or cause fatigue for the wearer. The simulation demonstrated that the armor was used for combat thousands of years ago. According to the research team, the Mycenaean warriors were well-equipped for their time and certainly formidable opponents.
