Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - UNKNOWN TRIBAL HELMET

Jim McDougall · 28th April 2014, 11:46 PM

I agree, this is not that old, though I think what was being suggested was that it was a native copy of a European pith helmet, or of such forms made by colonials in these regions in earlier times. These then possibly became part of traditional items made by locals.

One of the things that became quite common in colonial settings was indeed that keeping arms and armor serviceable was difficult at best as supplies were not readily available and long periods between replenishment was typical. In the Spanish colonial settings in the American Southwest, it was well established that cuir boulli ( boiled leather armor) remained in use into the 18th century, centuries after becoming essentially obsolete in Europe.

It seems like fashioning leather items was well established in Kenya with the Maasai using cowhide for shields as well as the Zulu tribes far to the south in Africa who also used cowhide on their shields. It seems unusual to see headgear using cowhide though .

28th April 2014, 11:46 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,100	I agree, this is not that old, though I think what was being suggested was that it was a native copy of a European pith helmet, or of such forms made by colonials in these regions in earlier times. These then possibly became part of traditional items made by locals. One of the things that became quite common in colonial settings was indeed that keeping arms and armor serviceable was difficult at best as supplies were not readily available and long periods between replenishment was typical. In the Spanish colonial settings in the American Southwest, it was well established that cuir boulli ( boiled leather armor) remained in use into the 18th century, centuries after becoming essentially obsolete in Europe. It seems like fashioning leather items was well established in Kenya with the Maasai using cowhide for shields as well as the Zulu tribes far to the south in Africa who also used cowhide on their shields. It seems unusual to see headgear using cowhide though .