Object Description
A striking Ancient Greek Chalcidian-type helmet, hammered from a sheet of bronze. The helmet consists of a hemispherical dome, with a seam at the front and back. The seams are secured together with a series of pins, threaded through rivet holes. From the front, a repoussé ridge forms curved brows that lead down towards a nasal decorated with four pellets. Two small perforations can be seen above the right brow and there is a perforation on either side of the top section of the helmet. On either side, two cheek guards, a characteristic of the helmet’s type, have been attached to the helmet with hinges, allowing for easier wear and construction. The cheek-pieces are rectangular in shape and curved at the back. A horizontal band of inverted triangles decorates the top of each cheek guard. They have each been pierced towards the bottom, where an inner lining, often made of leather, would have been attached. Behind, two curved arches have been cut out of the helmet for the wearer’s ears. A superb artefact from the Ancient Greek world which is complete and intact.
Date: Circa 5th – 4th Century BC