Ancient Greek Armors
Μuscle cuirass (MET)
5th century BC
The original torso was displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (MET), in the Hall of Greco-Roman Antiquities. Obviously, it is a well-preserved muscular torso probably dated back to the 5th century BC. The cuirass is being belonging to a private collector, unfortunately there is no more information available about it.
From an artistic point of view, it is characterized by the mildness of its anatomy, since the musculature that is impressed on bronze sheet does not appear particular intensities apart from the relatively big volume of the pectoral muscles.The dorsal part also follows a mild anatomical morphology of a human back.
The joining of the two parts (front & dorsal) is achieved with four pairs of hinges and bronze pins (“ὀχεῖς”), two on each side. In the area of the shoulders, the connection of the two sections is being done only with a system of loops-leather cords.
The inner surface has been covered with a thick woolen backing(sheepskin painted red), while the nipples are inset made of cast silver.
