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Reconstructing a 6th c. Baldenheim spangenhelm
#1
Sorry if this is a bit OT, but does anyone think [size=150:2nk2z67p]this[/size] spangenhelm would be appropriate for an Eastern Roman Officer ? Or would it belong to a more common soldier ?


~Theo
Jaime
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#2
Hmm.. It's elaborate enough to belong to an officers, but then again any soldier could get 'lucky' and find one on the battlefield...
The caption says Ostrogothic, it could be anything from Frankish to Byzantine, I guess..
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#3
Thank you for responding, Vortigern Smile

I was thinking along the same lines. There's another spangenhelm that was found in Bulgaria which dates to roughly the same period but is of comparable ornateness.

It seems difficult to find a type of helmet that the higher ranks would have worn at the turn of the 5th-6th centuries. I'm thinking that ridge helmets were dropping out of vogue, so that leaves spangenhelms (which would continue well into the Middle Ages). So, the example I cited seems to be my best bet for the moment.

~Theo
Jaime
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#4
:wink: Theo why not gilt it?
"...quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est."


a.k.a. Paul M.
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#5
That's an option, I suppose. Just buy some gold leaf and apply it to the helmet. I'd rather just have the helmet made of brass though. :wink:
Jaime
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#6
If you click on 'description' from that page showing the 6th century "Ostrogothic" helmet you'll read this :

[size=150:2rf200hd]Helmet (Spangenhelm), 6th century
Ostrogothic
Bronze-gilt, iron; H. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm)
Gift of Stephen V. Grancsay, 1942 (42.50.1)



This is one of a group of twenty-seven very similar Spangenhelme (literally, strap helmets), all of which date from the sixth century. These helmets are thought to have been made in or around Ravenna, the capital of the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy, as diplomatic gifts for foreign rulers, and have been found at sites ranging from Sweden and Germany to Yugoslavia and Libya. It has also been suggested that these helmets were made in one of the court workshops of the Byzantine empire. The Museum's helmet was discovered in the Saône River near Trévoux, France.

The helmets of this group are nearly identical in construction: four or six straps radiate from a central disk and connect to a brow band, all made of gilt bronze. The space between each strap is filled by an iron plate riveted in place. The decoration typically consists of patterns punched into the radiating straps and of birds amid an undulating grapevine embossed on the brow band. Crosses and other Christian symbols are occasionally included. Some of the helmets retain traces of silver foil on the iron plates between the straps. The richness of the decoration indicates that these helmets were intended for recipients of high rank.

All the helmets originally had a pair of metal cheekpieces, a neck defense made of plate or mail, and a narrow plate extending down from the browpiece to protect the nose. Of these features, only the cheekpieces remain on a few examples.[/size]


Guess that answers my questions Smile

~Theo
Jaime
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#7
Quote:I'm currently making a reconstruction of such a helmet, the decoration is the one from the helmet from Stössen Smile

The helmets from the above description are helmets of the Baldenheimtype. You can see a nice replica here: http://www.gotscha.nl/nl-spangenhelm.htm

Looks rich enough for you? Smile The one in the picture was gilded.

Vale,
Jef

I've thought about making a reconstruction of this helm as well. I think the intricate decoration and "bling" factor scares people into thinking this is a complicated piece, but the basic construction is very very simple. And decoration is mostly geometric patterns. Not rocket science. I even emailed the artist who did the replica you showed (incredible piece of work!). He did respond, but his English was somewhat broken and he had difficulty answering my questions.

At any rate, the spangen design would be much simpler for a novice armorer to reproduce than, say, the dished bowls of a ridge helm.
Franklin Slaton
Semper Ubi Sub Ubi
Your mother wears caligae!
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#8
Jef, I'd love to see pics of your helm as it progresses.
Franklin Slaton
Semper Ubi Sub Ubi
Your mother wears caligae!
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#9
Salve Franklin,

Actually we got lessons from the armourer who made that replica for a few days Smile

I'm very busy at the moment but pictures will most certainly follow when it's finished.
Jef Pinceel
a.k.a.
Marcvs Mvmmivs Falco

LEG XI CPF vzw
>Q SER FEST
www.LEGIOXI.be
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#10
Fantastic. Your English seems top-notch. Hopefully I can refer questions to you once I get started.
Franklin Slaton
Semper Ubi Sub Ubi
Your mother wears caligae!
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#11
Quote:Fantastic. Your English seems top-notch. Hopefully I can refer questions to you once I get started.

I'll be glad to answer them :wink:
Jef Pinceel
a.k.a.
Marcvs Mvmmivs Falco

LEG XI CPF vzw
>Q SER FEST
www.LEGIOXI.be
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#12
A couple of questions to start. Did he use gold foil, or a base metal foil that had been gold plated? Also, what is the thickness of the foil?

(maybe this thread should be split to reconstruction...it's strayed pretty far from the marketplace)
Franklin Slaton
Semper Ubi Sub Ubi
Your mother wears caligae!
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#13
Quote:(maybe this thread should be split to reconstruction...it's strayed pretty far from the marketplace)

Thy wish is my command. :wink:
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#14
Hi Franklin,

He definetely used real gold foil. I do not know the thickness. He sold the helmet for 6000euro's. :wink:
Jef Pinceel
a.k.a.
Marcvs Mvmmivs Falco

LEG XI CPF vzw
>Q SER FEST
www.LEGIOXI.be
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#15
there is a new book from the römisch-germanischen zentralmuseum mainz:

Mahand Vogt
Spangenhelme
Baldenheim und verwandte Typen

Die kleine Gruppe der frühmittelalterlichen Helme stößt seit Jahrzehnten auf reges Interesse in der archäologischen Forschung. Besonders die teilweise vergoldeten und reich verzierten Spangenhelme vom Typ Baldenheim wurden immer wieder diskutiert, fanden sie sich doch nördlich der Alpen zumeist in reich ausgestatteten Kriegergräbern des 5. und 6. Jahrhunderts. Die großräumige Verbreitung dieser Helme von Nordafrika bis nach Gotland ließ aber bislang eine zusammenfassende Bearbeitung auf der Grundlage einer genauen Autopsie der Originalfunde unmöglich erscheinen. Wie wichtig sorgfältige Dokumentationen der verwendeten Punzen sowie vergleichende technische Untersuchungen zum Aufbau und zur Konstruktion gerade für Fragen der Herstellungszentren sind, belegt nun die vorliegende Gesamtaufnahme. Untersucht werden u.a. Datierung, Herkunft der Spangenhelmform sowie Ikonographie und Ikonologie der für den Helmschmuck verwendeten Darstellungen. Der umfangreiche Katalog umfasst die detaillierte Beschreibung aller bekannter Spangen-, Band- und Band-Spangen-Helme, ergänzt durch zahlreiche Zeichnungen und Photographien.
Graphische Abrollungen aller weitgehend vollständig erhaltenen Helme im Maßstab 2:3 sind dem Buch als Beilagen beigefügt.

Kataloge des RGZM Band 39 (2006), 322 S., 108 Abb., 59 Taf., 8 Farbtaf., 22 Beilagen
ISBN 978-3-88467-100-9
90,– €
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