Iberian Helmets

[Thersites]

Italic helmet, captured by Celtiberians and re-used c. 150/130 BC. Quite rare.

[Thersites]

Motefortinos adopted and modified (discarding cheekpieces). Late 3rd-early 2nd and 1st BC. Bottom: Local versions in Galicia (NW) in Augustean period (late 1st c. BC)

[Thersites]

Hope this helps.
For more details, see:

http://www.ffil.uam.es/equus/ (parts in English)

and specially

http://www.ffil.uam.es/equus/warmas/tip ... /libro.htm

Fernando Quesada Sanz.
El armamento ibérico. Estudio tipológico, geográfico, funcional, social y simbólico de las armas en la Cultura Ibérica (siglos VI-I a.C.). Monographies Instrumentum, 3. Montagnac, 1997. 2 vols.,
XXII+962 págs., 356 figuras en texto y 16 páginas de láminas B/N.
ISBN 2-907303-09-0 (vol. I) y 2-907303-10-4 (vol. 2).

[Eduorius]

Very interesting pics and links.

That horned helmet looks very menacing.

[Robert Vermaat]

Very nice study Fernando!

[Mythos_Ruler]

Thank you a lot Fernando! hock: These image will come in handy! I will post an update image of our progress shortly. Most of the Iberian helmets have been completed, but a few of your references can be modeled at a later date for further Iberian variations.

[Mythos_Ruler]

Here are our Iberian units so far. Keep in mind in an actual game session the player won't normally zoom in this far.

[Mythos_Ruler]

Fernando - Can you tell me more about the horn helmet? It looks strikingly like a Mycenaean helmet. Is this a true Iberian helmet?

[Eduorius]

He said it was an Italic helmet but modified by the Celtiberians.

Maybe someone in the Roman army carried this Attic helmet, but was killed and his helmet taken as booty and later modified for the use of a Celtiberian chieftain.

[Mythos_Ruler]

Yes, a very excellent example of pillaging the battlefield for spoils. We'll probably use that helmet example for an Iberian hero.

[MARCVS PETRONIVS MAIVS]

Wow! I had no idea iberian helmets looked so cool! Some are actually nicer than the roman ones, and I thought that was a physical impossibility!!!

[Thersites]

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.

[Eduorius]

This is very interesting. Could this helmet be used for war or only ceremonial issues?

[Thersites]

It is perfectly practical. There are many examples of very elaborate helmets or armour that were used in battle. in fact, I do not really believe in 'parade weapons' or 'parade armour' in Antiquity. Only pieces of equipment that are NOT usable as weapons (i.e. miniature weapons, or extremely thin bronze shields without backing that appear in sanctuaries in Italy for example) can be considered ceremonial or ritual.

[Untilatie]

Maybe, this will serve as illustrative example. It's a bit different model.
It's one of our reconstructions...