Leather cheek-guards on Roman helmets?

[arminius]

Salvete Commilitones

During my latest research I ran into the problem of leather cheek-guards on Roman helmets … or better: the problem of the lack of evidence for such thing!
In D’Amato’s Book “Arms and Armor of the Imperial Roman Soldier” Page 111 is a picture of a helmet with leather cheek-guards belonging to a statue supposedly dating from the “Hadrianic period”. If the source is genuine I’ve got my smoking gun. But somehow I have serious doubts that this statue is even Roman. Neither myself nor a colleague of mine who is an expert on Roman Helmets were able to find that statue in any archive or database.
Can anybody help?

[M. Demetrius]

That does appear to be leather, and soft leather at that. On the other hand, It could just as easily be felted wool, I suppose. But neither would be as good a defense as metal, I'd think. Unusual.

[Ron Andrea]

Since the helmet is an attic style, could it be that the sculptor--even if Roman--was trying to portray what he thought was someone else's style?

[Matthew Amt]

My first question is whether that part of the sculpture could be a modern "restoration". The helmet crest looks Napoleonic, for instance (though I realize that Napoleonic stuff was often supposed to look Roman!).

That said, there is at least one surviving Celtic cheekpiece made of leather, entirely covered by bronze studs as I recall. So the concept is not impossible.

Matthew

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I think there was some talk of finds of leather cheek pieces earlier last year. Either in Carlisle or somewhere in England....
Can't recall the threads though....so maybe not so hairbrained..(just hope it wasn't an April 1st post.....)

[Uwe Bahr]

Hi all,

the whole thing is confusing anyhow. In my view the cheek peace on the photo points to the right side, the assumed back of the helmet - there is a little extension in the middle of the cheek peace. BTW, on the other side at the back of the helmet there is a curved rim or decoration that one can oftenly see at the front of such hellenistic helmets.

Another detail - the soft cheek peace seems to be long enough to be lying in full length on the ground. But what about the additional folded material between cheek peace and the actual helmet?

Also I agree with Matthew - the helmet crest is rather unusual and really remembers to the Napoleonic aera. Looks like a single (ostrich ?) feather that is "lying" on the crest holder.

Greets - Uwe

[Maximus Decimus]

I think a lot of "comfort additions" must have been made to Roman helmets.
As an ex infantry soldier I can tell you just metal on skin would be no no!They must surly have had linings to prevent cold and chafing?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

They did! They used felt liners, wool caps in some periods, a helmet was found wit hthe lining still inside.
A helmet in contact wit hthe skull is not a good thing, believe me. Had my lining and suspension fail last year, was
painful in a totally new way!

[Maximus Decimus]

Thank you for that! Makes sense the felt or leather would have rotted away.
I have worn 3 British Army helmets the last one being the most comfortable.

[Dan Howard]

This once again shows that D'Amato's book is good for the photos so long as you ignore the commentary.
"The sculpture very clearly shows the use of leather..."
It does no such thing. Leather is but one interpretation of that sculpture. Some of the explainations already suggested are far more likely IMO.

I would be interested to know if the other leather cheekguards that have been found have the same amount of flexibility as this one. Nobody has yet explained how thin, flexible leather can be treated so that it can actually stop a weapon attack. This would need to be done before any of this sculptural evidence can be interpreted as leather armour.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I wonder if the sculpture actually is a metal cheekpiece that has been severly damaged??? just a thought.... :roll:

[Maximus Decimus]

Could well be after a battle?

[Doc]

I agree with Dan. It can be a number of things and we do know that felt had padding properties that could be protective.

Byron, I was thinking the same thing. However, let us suppose for a moment that this statue shows reality with respect to the helmet. How long would that cheekpiece have to be? Take a look at its lenght with the kink in it. Now imagine all that material bunched up by the bowl was extended.

[john m roberts]

In "Greece and Rome at War" (p.132 of my 1998 Greenhill edition) Peter Connolly shows a figure from an Etruscan urn in the Volterra museum, wearing an Italo-Corinthian helmet with what appear to be broad leather or fabric tie-down straps. That may be what we're seeing here rather than a cheekplate.
On the other hand, maybe the sculptor was the Salvador Dali of the Roman world.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Yes, I agree there Doc. Quite possibly the latter as John suggested.