04-20-2008, 07:46 AM
The type is CERTAINLY not Mycenaean or, for the record, Bronze Age.
I believe it is a variant of Greek Chalcidian helmet, probably of -southern?- Italic origin. A lot of more than twenty of these helmets was found in Celtiberia. These were crushed, intentionally damaged and hidden in cracks in the rocks, probably in an open air sanctuary.
A very few helmets of the type (2) have also found in Celtiberian cemeteries -such as at Numantia. Somne of them have added silver inlay decoration, cruder in technique than the rest of the helmet, and the motifs are peninsular. It seems to me a modification.
All this said, it seems probable that these helmetes were Roman -perhaps allies- captured by Celtiberians c. 154 BC, and dedicated as spoils or reused.
But there also exists a possibility that the helmets are of local manufacture, imitating foreign helmets. But I think this less probable.
I believe it is a variant of Greek Chalcidian helmet, probably of -southern?- Italic origin. A lot of more than twenty of these helmets was found in Celtiberia. These were crushed, intentionally damaged and hidden in cracks in the rocks, probably in an open air sanctuary.
A very few helmets of the type (2) have also found in Celtiberian cemeteries -such as at Numantia. Somne of them have added silver inlay decoration, cruder in technique than the rest of the helmet, and the motifs are peninsular. It seems to me a modification.
All this said, it seems probable that these helmetes were Roman -perhaps allies- captured by Celtiberians c. 154 BC, and dedicated as spoils or reused.
But there also exists a possibility that the helmets are of local manufacture, imitating foreign helmets. But I think this less probable.