Helmet at Metropolitan Museum

[richsc]

I was surprised to see a big exhibit of Roman glass and sculpture at the Metropolitan Museum. More so to see this sculpture of a helmet that is new to me:<br>
<br>
www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd....78.62.htm<br>
<br>
btw, the glass there is spectacular<br>
<br>
The Met's website has a unique zoom feature that lets you scroll around an object and get a very closeup look. <p>Legio XX<br>
Caput dolet, pedes fetent, Iesum non amo<br>
<br>
</p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=richsc@romanarmytalk>RichSC</A> at: 8/6/04 5:45 pm<br></i>

[Andrew Brozyna]

Looks to me like the sculptor was referencing Greek Chalcidian helmets.<br>
<br>
-Andy<br>
<br>
P.S. While in a Johns Hopkins Hospital waiting area after my daughter's birth I happened upon a collection of baby bottles through history. They had a Roman glass baby bottle from the 300s AD. Very cute! <p></p><i></i>

[richsc]

The cheekpieces seem to have gallic shields on them. Not sure about the sword. <p>Legio XX<br>
Caput dolet, pedes fetent, Iesum non amo<br>
<br>
</p><i></i>

[Uwe Bahr]

Avete omnes,<br>
<br>
Richard, thank You for sharing this link with us.<br>
<br>
I read, this marble head has been found in 1925 already and I never got any knowledge of it, that shows what a fantastic institution this forum is; if R.A.T. would not exist already, it would have to be invented at once ... <br>
<br>
Andy, I see the similarity with Greek Chalcidian helmets, too, and I think the so called Attic helmets worn by Roman officers descend from them.<br>
<br>
But, <strong>presupposed the sculptor has displayed a really existing helmet</strong>, we have a hybrid combining several characteristics of already known types.<br>
<br>
The helmet skull is richly decorated like - in Robinson's classification - Cavalry Sports helmets. We see some kind of trophy on the cheek guard consisting of some Gallic shields, spears on the left, sword(s ?) on the right and a Montefortino-like helmet on the top, with something like a ring crest. What the sculptor intended with the structure on the left side of the Montefortino is not to recognize, may be a feather. On the skull is depicted a raising horse with his rider. So far like a Cavalry Sports helmet, but following the attributes of Cavalry helmets, it is none, because the ear is not covered by the cheek guard (mostly they have embossed ear reproductions). There is even no ear guard visible.<br>
<br>
On the other side the helmet seems to have a front protection like Imperial Gallic or Italic (Infantry) helmets. Also, what we see on the front of the skull above the protection looks like an 'eye brow' and remembers me much to the famous Guttmann helmet (with the two different eye brows), this one is rather vertical.<br>
<br>
Sadly, the photo does not show more of the helmet. On the back seem to be remnants of crest decoration or a crest holder. Unique is also the decoration consisting of 4 visible discs below the front protection. The whole head is a very fine reproduction.<br>
<br>
Surely, we do not know every type of helmet that had been in use through Roman times, but I imagine that this helmet could represent a richly decorated Officer's helmet with typical attributes of Infantry helmets, but that is only my humble assumption.<br>
<br>
Greets - Uwe<br>
<br>
P.S.: Richard, shouldn't the topic be transferred to 'Military History & Archaeology'? <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=uwebahr>Uwe Bahr</A> at: 8/9/04 3:40 pm<br></i>

[richsc]

I pondered the classification, but it seemed more a review of the very neat technique of zooming in that I haven't seen anywhere else, than the helmet itself. And that I hadn't noticed that the Met actually had any classical displays.<br>
<br>
Wouldn't it be the next logical step to allow you to rotate an object and then zoom into it? Or at least several sides to it. Imagine being able to do that with any helmet in the British Museum or anywhere else for that matter. <p>Legio XX<br>
Caput dolet, pedes fetent, Iesum non amo<br>
<br>
</p><i></i>

[Uwe Bahr]

Looking on the helmet again, I am more convinced that the sculptor didn't intend to display a normal front protection but more a decorative piece, perhaps a front protection in the shape of a laurel wreath and that would fit to an Officer's helmet. That is my impression when looking at the very right part of the protection.<br>
<br>
Uwe <p></p><i></i>