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Kegel helm crests
#1
Am currently renewing my interest in kegel helms and have tracked 3 photos (are there more??)
the one with the side ripped /"rusted" away (what IS the term when bronze dissolves back to natural elements??)
The Argos panoply one
The one with the cute j crest holder.(labelled illyrohorse.jpg This third one has 2 staples on either side of the central crest holder and I am wondering which style of additional crests people best guess they may have taken
a) plate horns
b) two mote j crests with horsehair
c) Small crest boxes with horsehair pony tails/ crests, similar to classical period depictions of Athena
d)small shrek type plume/ horse hair holders similar to those worn by Alexander on the famed lion helmet.

Thanks in advance for ANY suggestions
Richard


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#2
Hello Richard!

The Kegelhelm from Ordona has similar crest holders with attached plate horns.


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Andreas Gagelmann
Berlin, Germany
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#3
Looks as if the owner of that helmet came to a nasty end!
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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#4
Thankyou for that post
I had always thought that kegelhelm was named after a German antiquarian named kegel
but I am wondering whether it has another meaning in German?
The photo with the horn looks to me as being attached to another style of helmet- I have alwas taken Kegelhelms to have the construction in 5 plates as their basis for definition-
though I do completely appreciate the detail for the attachments and am thinking some sort of split or sprung pin to secure the horns.

decorations of this sort remind me of the bronze age horns and, of course, conan the barbarian- which i think you get extra "points" for doing historically Big Grin
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#5
The name "Kegel" means simply "cone" and was invented by A. Furtwängler for this helmet type during the excavations of Olympia in 1890.
As there are also examples with rounded calottes the name is in today's view not the best choice, but it was retained until today and it would perhaps be confusing to change it now.
The helmet from Ordona I've posted is indeed a "true" Kegelhelm. Because the neck- and cheekguards are missing, it don't looks like a Kegelhelm that much.
It is of the "Ordona" variant (with rounded top). Other variants are "Budapest" (with pointed top, a "Kegel") and "Argos" (with high central crest holder).
There's one example with crestholder in horseform (Ex-Guttmann Collection - very similar to the example from Ruvo you've posted) whose calotte is made in one part, but still looking like being made in five parts.
Another example (also Ex-Guttmann) has eye cutouts in the cheekguards.
You're right, the attachments of the Ordona helmet are secured by splints an could be removed.

Greets
Andreas Gagelmann
Berlin, Germany
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#6
Thankyou
I have tracked down the two helmets you mentioned
(the one with the eye cut outs was sold at Christies). Brilliant work in terms of helmet evolution..I am fascinated with the embossed lines in them...
unfortunately the other image I have traced is only of the horse-crest with the top of the helm shown on the cover of a book.
Such is life
but i would never have gotten to see these things in my local library....
Thankyou for your help and direction and helping me drive back my ignorance a little more
regards
Richard
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