helmet straps and buckles

[Chuck Russell]

i recently got a jockey cap i believe it is, or an early coolus helmet. it has no cheek plates so i was wondering how wide the helm straps should be at the helm and then how wide it would tapper too.

should i tie or buckle? if buckle, what does one look like?


i'm new to the researching of the celtic world. google turns up so much trash under "celtic" or "laTene" it isnt even funny

[Peroni]

No cheek guards? It sounds like a coolus A to me.

You could also utilise small button/loop fasteners too.

Madoc, who visits this site has one and has made a really nice plaited leather strap for his. I'm uncertain as to the fastening method he used though.


Regards,

[Chuck Russell]

well, i believe it had them, but they were so badly made the original owner tthru them out

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Chuck,

Most of the originals that I have seen were found without cheekplates, nor any signs of having buckles found near them.

I discussed this at lenght with Nate, and he is of the opinion that maybe the tied on. Robinson also states that the cheeckplates could have been made from leather. However I do not know what he bases this on.

Personally I would rivet a tapering piece of leather to the brim and then tie it under my chin.

If you want these cheek plates you are welcome to them, but they are horrible!

[Lugorix]

Robinson may have based it on this helmet with leather cheek gaurds:

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Lugorix,

Thanks for the pic! I wonder if this was a common method considering all of the helmets we find without cheekplates.

[Lugorix]

I have these two pictures, but I'm not sure where they came from. The fancy loop on the first helmet is an artifact that comes up once in a while. If I find any more, I'll post them because they are always cool!

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Jeff,

There are a couple helmets like this in Junklemanns book Die Legions aus Augustus.

[Lugorix]

I'm not familiar with that book. And my small town won't have it in the library for some time if I was to ILL it. So what does it say about those? Very curious! Are the fancy strap loops Roman or what culture? Do tell if you can find out.

Thanks, Jeff

[drsrob]

They seam to be a simplified version of the Montefortino and therefore IMHO Roman in origin.
Personally I think that this was the type of helmet used by velites.