Roman bone plating of the wooden chest from Davidovac near Vranje. Interpretation, conservation and reconstruction

During the archaeological rescue excavations at the route of the highway E75, section 10 (southern leg), in the village of Davidovac, near Vranje, a Roman settlement with necropolises (2nd – mid-5th century) were investigated at locations Crkvište (Northeast) and Gradište (Southwest). At the site of Davidovac – Gradište, a Late Roman building was discovered, built in the end of the 3rd – beginning of the 4th century, twice renewed during the 4th and destroyed in a fire in the 5th century. In the atrium, near a circular furnace, in the layer from the 4th century, fragments of a bone plating were discovered. On the central plaque, a mythological scene of sleeping Ariadne, surrounded by Satyrs, was represented. The bone plating has been sent to the Department of conservation of the National Museum in Belgrade, for conservation and research. Also, the raw material of the plating and traces of manufacture were examined