12-13-2003, 06:39 PM
The "inverted V" feature is almost certainly pure artistic convention. It was the custom in Hellenistic art to show the whole face, including a fringe of hair along the brow. Sometimes this was done by abbreviating the helmet to look like little more than a cap, but in full-face low relief it was often accomplished by drawing the front of the helmet upward into a morion shape. You never see it this way in profile. <p></p><i></i>