Iron Helmet

[francantolin]

Originally Posted by Joe1475

Hello,
Rivets seems really new, so ,
is all the helmet newly made and then artificially aged...
Have you a picture of the inside of the helmet/ the nails..

[Raf]

Originally Posted by francantolin

Hello,
Rivets seems really new, so ,
is all the helmet newly made and then artificially aged...
Have you a picture of the inside of the helmet/ the nails..

Agreed. Assembled fairly recently from old already rusted scrap steel using modern rivets and hinges. What did the auction describe it as ?

[Kmaddock]

Hi Joe,
Welcome to the forum.
Pictures of the inside of the helmet and the rivets especially would tell a lot.
Could you please put these up when you have a chance.
Regards,
Ken

[Joe1475]

Sorry, have been busy. The auction listed it as Iron helmet 8-11 Cent AD. It was purchased in Germany.

[cel7]

Originally Posted by Joe1475

Sorry, have been busy. The auction listed it as Iron helmet 8-11 Cent AD. It was purchased in Germany.

To me, the modern hinges are a clear indication that it is a copy that has been artificially aged.

[Raf]

Originally Posted by Joe1475

Sorry, have been busy. The auction listed it as Iron helmet 8-11 Cent AD. It was purchased in Germany.

I'm surprised that the auction described it as such. Given that if genuine it would be a very rare and expensive thing. For comparison the Yarm helmet . UK.A river find in the 1950s , Doubts were initially raised about its authenticity due to its rather crude construction and its suspicious resemblance to a well documented German example. Now accepted as genuine. The material is wrought iron with a phosphorus content . 1 to 2 mm thick. Note the flat head rivets.

[Joe1475]

The only thing I've found, touted to be original that resembles the construction and condition from around the same period is this one.

[Raf]

Here is another version with the same problematic rivets . For comparison something similar from Brooklyn Museum. Egypt 7 - 8 century.

[cel7]

Originally Posted by Joe1475

The only thing I've found, touted to be original that resembles the construction and condition from around the same period is this one.

According to literature, the model is called a "spangen" helmet and they were already popular in Roman times. The photo shown here comes from the website below.

https://www.thecollector.com/ancient...aracteristics/

The hinges of the cheek plates still seem too modern to me, but I give them the benefit of doubt. What strikes me is the even thickness of the cheek plates. The parts of a helmet were hammered at the time, but these look so perfect, no hammer marks. They look cut out.