The Ksour Essef cuirass is an ancient triple-disc cuirass found in a Punic tomb in 1909 not far from Ksour Essef, Tunisia. This piece of armour is of Italiote origin and comes from Southern Italy. Traditionally, its discovery in Tunisia led researchers to link it to the expeditions of the Second Punic War led in Italy by the Carthaginian general Hannibal between 211 and 203 BC and, as a result, the piece is broadly dated to the 3rd century BC. This hypothesis, although tempting, is now widely questioned following in-depth examination of the various objects found in the tomb, which seem to rather suggest a date in the second half of the 4th century BC or, at least, before the First Punic War. The cuirass is nowadays kept in the Bardo National Museum in Tunis, as is the archaeological material found in the same tomb. It is still, a century after its discovery, one of the emblematic pieces of its ancient department.
History
Location and dating of the cuirass The cuirass was discovered by Tunisian workers in a Punic tomb in the south of the village of Ksour Essef, precisely in the locality of Hammada-El-Mekata, 12 km (7.5 mi) south-west of Mahdia in the Tunisian Sahel. The armour was found in a niche on one side of the burial chamber. Its dating remains relatively uncertain: archaeologists date it from the end of the 2nd century BC, others from the 2nd and 1st centuries BC or around 300 BC.
History of the excavations In the context of the French protectorate of Tunisia, particularly from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, Punic necropolises were extensively excavated. At the archaeological site of Carthage, excavations were mainly carried out by White Fathers, such as Alfred Louis Delattre. The opening of the tombs was often the object of mundane ceremonies, attracting the French colonial population. The cuirass, made by the Carthaginians was found on 20 February 1909, during excavations of a Punic tomb with a well during earthworks. The archaeologist and director of the antiquities service in Tunisia, Alfred Merlin, who was informed at the beginning of the following month, studied the tomb in the company of Louis Poinssot, inspector of antiquities. The material in the tomb was, however, damaged during the archaeological excavations: two amphorae were broken, before being carefully restored using the fragments collected immediately on the spot. The boards of the sarcophagus, which were damaged during the excavation due to lack of care, are also being restored in the laboratory of the Bardo Museum.
Archaeological context
The type of shaft tomb in which the furniture is found is widespread in the Tunisian Sahel. The tomb has an access shaft and two burial chambers; the shaft, measuring 2.30 m × 1.30 m (7 ft 7 in × 4 ft 3 in), is filled at the time of discovery with stones from the nearby Rejiche quarries. One of the two burial chambers, of about 4 m2 (43 sq ft), was empty during the excavations. The other, larger, measures 2 m × 2.40 m (6 ft 7 in × 7 ft 10 in) and 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) high. The same tomb contains a cypress wood coffer-sarcophagus covered in red, 0.84 m (2 ft 9 in) high, 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) long, and 0.68 m (2 ft 3 in) wide. This sarcophagus found in the tomb belongs to a widespread model over a geographical area extending from the Byzacium to Gigthi. Excavations at the beginning of the 20th century mention only one body lying on its back, the bones having been discovered "rather badly preserved and reduced to crumbs for the most part", coated with a reddish-brown pigment, identified with cinnabar. According to Merlin, the deceased may have undergone ritual emaciation prior to burial. Two skeletons were identified in new analyses carried out in Tunisia at the end of the 20th century, one of which belonged to a male individual, 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) tall and in his forties. The skull bears traces of red ochre. In addition to the sarcophagus and armour, four amphorae, a bowl, a wooden dish (still containing ochre) and a black glazed lamp were uncovered during the same excavation. Elements of a bronze belt are also found, as are copper metal plates in the sarcophagus that were not reported by Merlin. Habib Ben Younès identifies these fragments as elements of a casket. The cuirass is found at the time of the discovery next to the lamp. The archaeological material was then deposited in the Bardo Museum, where the cuirass "is the most beautiful ornament in a room". Some forgotten elements were found in the museum's storerooms in the 1990s. Ben Younès points out that many testimonies present in the Punic necropolises excavated at the beginning of the 20th century have disappeared, even though they could have provided much information on this civilisation.
Description
The cuirass (inv. 01-02-03-01) is identified as belonging to the "kardiophylax" or heart guard type. "The most important piece of the find", it is made of gilded bronze and measures 30 cm (12 in) in height or 28 cm × 30 cm (11 in × 12 in) for the pectoral. The front side measures 42.5 cm × 44 cm (16.7 in × 17.3 in) and the reverse side measures 42 cm × 66 cm (17 in × 26 in)42.
It has a breastplate and a backrest or bib: the faces of this part have three raised circles including a representation of Minerva helmeted. Strands of the goddess's hair are visible. Her eyes are large and her lips thick. She is wearing a necklace of acorns, which is reminiscent of the top of the breastplate, which is decorated with a similar necklace of Acorns and bucranium. Her helmet is decorated with Rinceaux and three crests. A palmette motif is also present on each side of the deity's head. A floral motif, identified as a lily, is located between the circles. The breastplate had a central motif that has now disappeared and was probably made of silver according to Merlin. The pattern on the back is an eight-pointed rosette. Bands for attaching the breastplate with rivets are decorated with globes and palmettes. The breastplate also has geometric and floral decorations that complement its ornamentation.
Interpretation
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