A strange silver mask from the Thorsberg bog

[Cornelius Quintus]

Avete omnes,

this mask of uncertain origin was part of a hoard found since 1860 in the Thorsberg bog in Northern Germany, near Denmark.
I visited an exhibition at the Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseum Schloss Gottorf (the castle still is larger than it’s name) yesterday and will post some pics of other finds within the next days.

In the Thorsberg bog, ancient Germanics sacrificed weapons from their enemies.
90 % of the hoard finds were probably dumped during the third and fourth century AD.
Between them, there are items of Roman origin or at least Roman style. It is not known whether the items were battlefield boots from Roman or Germanic owners. Supposedly it was a fight between Germanics, which have been partially equipped with Roman items (from other fights before ?). Only the items were dumped there and almost damaged or destroyed before being thrown in the bog.

Due to the chemical environment, all iron and steel passed in that bog, but silver, gold, copper-alloy, wood, leather and even clothes survived in good condition.

The ‘Roman design’ finds seem to concern mainly auxiliary cavalry equipment.

Let’s take a close look on the first find for today:

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m199 ... Maske1.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m199 ... aske3b.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m199 ... aske5a.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m199 ... Maske4.jpg

This silver mask combined with a unique basket-shaped spangenhelm is a kind of a riddle.
Mask: 25,4 cm (hight) x 22,8 cm (width). Inventory code: Arch. Landesmuseum Schleswig Inv. No. F.S. 6233

Basket helmet:13,4 cm height, 19,3 cm diameter. Inventory code: Arch. Landesmuseum Schleswig Inv. F.S. 3683.


The museum don’t know if it was (partially?) a Roman mask and later reworked or damaged or a Germanic design which imitated a Roman mask.

So there are many possibilities. For example:
Both mask and helmet/cap were a set or in contrary separate items of different owners and use.
The pieces were of Roman origin and partially destroyed before sacrificing by cutting out the ‘face’.
The mask was of Roman origin and was recycled by a Germanic to suit his own purposes.
The mask is of Germanic or other origin and copies Roman style by intention or by chance.

Adrian / Peronis said the mask reminds him of an amazon mask, but with an added woman’s hair net. That's really a good point!

Was the wearer an ancient (unwillingly) Germanic drag queen? 8)

Any ideas to bring more light to this find?